Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-30
A Blu re- AR FISH
ONE THAT MAKES HIS OWN DARK
LANTERN.

Did you ever see a burglar fish," queried
the humorous scientist at the fish commits
sion yesterday afternoon. The Star re-
porter was compelled to admit that while
he had read of "RatIies, the amateur
cracksman," and had perused one or two
dime novels, that burglar fish was de-
cidedly new.
We'll" continued the scientist with
procllvity for the ludcrous, I'VE have been
making some researches lately, and one of
the things we have discovered is the bur
glar fish. OF course, that is not the scien-
t;fic and dignified name of this piscatorial
species, but his attributes and equipment
are such that he would have no trouble in
becoming a deep-Sea robber. Most deep
sea fishes possess luminous organs. and this
particular class to which [ refer have pia-
BILE muscles III connection with the lumi-
nous organs which enable the fish to turn
the organs inward at will, and thus eXtn-
guish the light. So you see, they can prowl
around in the darkness the bottom OF
the sea, suddenly display their natural
dark lantern, secure their pelf, and HE
themselves to the tall sea grass in the dis
lance We have no way of proving that
this ever has been done, because there is
no record that any fishes ever have been
indicted and convicted for this offense but
L merely mention 1t as a possibility. 1t
has been suggested, however, by one of my
fellows scientists at the fish commission
that these finny marauders are gathering
all the ingots of gold which have sunk
with the historic treasure ships, and have
stored the wealth in a safe place. await
ing that transmigratton of the soul which
will make of them men, instead of fish.
Then they will haul their ill-gotten gains
1rom the bottom of the and live in
happiness and luxury ever after OF course
you understand this, too, is only a theory"
The reporter admitted that it looked very
much like a theory.
Deep Sea Fish Not Black.
Seriously speaking continued the
scientist. 1.-The fish commission has made
some cOmmendable discoveries. One thing
we know is that deep sea fishes not
black, as has been asserted for many
years. but are brilliantly colored, the black
skin serving merely an effective back
ground to the varied tints produced by
their luminous organs. These organs
though they vary remarkably in details in
the different species, yet show a general
resemblance to each other and to the SINH
lar organs of cuttlefishes. These luminous
organs consist essentially of gland cells,
which are entirely filled with secreting
nuclei, and may be regarded as the source
of light. Under these cells lies usually
thin layer of narrow and closely packed
cells, which act as reflector. Between the
luminous cells and the skin are interposed
cells of strong retroactive power, which may
be regarded as forming lens, and the
whole organ Is enveloped, except on the
side nearest the skin, in mantle of dark
pigment cells.
Luminous Organs
THE luminous organs are found in vari-
Gus parts of the body and occur both sin
gly and in groups. Their great diversity In
structure Is supposed to indicate a corre-
spending diversity in the color of the light
emitted by them. The exact purpose of
these organs can only be conjectured. The
structure of the eyes of deep sea fishes is
modified for adaptation to the phospho-
resent light emitted by the luminous Or
gans.
LAS these organs are distributed over the
body In an arrangement peculiar to the
species, and shine with light of various
hues, 1t is inferred that they serve, like
the pigment cells of daylight animals to
form a characteristic specific pattern. So
far from being black, then, these fishes
must present weirdly gorgeous spectacIes
illuminated as they are amid the dark sur
rounding water.
I'm some cases the luminous organs Of
deep fishes shine not outward but in
ward. Such Illuminating organs are found
most frequently in the eye cavity, and the
pro5ab BILE Interpretation of them Is that
they originally shone outward, but becom-
ing covered with skin folds, their purpose
has become modified into supplying the
eyes of the fishes with increased sensitive
ness to differences of color between spe-
cies."