The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-08-31
BURGLARIOUS FISH.
SPECIES THAT MAKES IT'S OWN
DARK LANTERN.
They Prowl Around in the Darkness
at Bottom Of the Sea and
Flash Their Light At
Will.

Flash Their Light at
viii.
"Did you ever see Q burglar hshE
Queried the humorous scientist at the
fsh commission the other afternoon.
The Washington Star reporter was
compelled to admit that while he had
read Of "Raffies, the amateur cracks
man. and had perused one or two
dime novels, that burglar fish" was
decidedly new.
well" continued the scientist, with
Q proclivity for the ludicrous. I'VE have
been making some researches lately.
and one Of the things we have discov-
cred is the burglar fish. OF course, that
Is not the scientific and dignihed name
OF this piscatorial species. but his At
tributes and equipment are such that
he would have no trouble in becoming
q deep-sea robber Most deep-sea fishes
posses luminous organs. and this par
ticular class to which refer have plia-
BILE muscles in connection with the lu-
minous organs which enable the fish to
turn the organs inward at will, and
thus extinguish the light. So you see.
they can prov! around in the darkness
at the bottom of the sea- suddenly dis
play their natural dark lantern. secure
their pelf, and HE themselves to the
tall sea grass in the distance. 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
merely mention 1t as a possibility. 1t
has been suggested. however. by one Of
my fellow scientists at the fish commits
sion 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
O safe place. awaiting that transmigra-
ton OF the soul which will make OF
them men. instead Of fish. Then they
will haul their ill-gotten gains from
the bottom Of the sea and live in hap
piness and luxury ever after. Of course.
you understand this. too. 10 only .
theory"
The reporter admitted that It looked
very much like theory.
Seriously speaking" continued the
sGioutist. the hsh commission has
ma1s some commendable discoveries.
One thing we know 10 that deep sea
fishes are not black. a. has been assert.
ed for many years. but ere brilliantly
ooIored. the black skin serving merely
a. an effective background to the var
led tints produced by their luminous
organs. These organs. though they
vary remarkably In details In the DIFF
ferent species. yet show general re-
semblance to each other and to the
similar organs Of cuttlenshes. These
luniuous organs consist essentially OF
giaAd cells. which are entirely filled
with secreting nuclei and may be re-
garded as the source of light. Under
these cells lies usually thin layer OF
narrow and closely packed cells, which
act a. reflector. Between the lumi-
nous cells and the skin are interposed
cells OF strong refractive power. which
may be regarded an forming a lens
and the whole organ is enveloped. ex-
cept on the side nearest the skin, in q
mantle Of dark pigment cells.
The luminous organs are found r
various parts Of the body and occur
both singly and in groups. Their grea,
diversity In structure Is supposed tf
indicate a corresponding diversity ir
the color Of the light emitted by them
The exact purpose of these organs car
only be conjectured. The structure o.
the eyes Of deep sea fishes Is modifst
for adaptation to the phosphorescen
light emitted by the luminous organs
"As these organs are distributed Owe
the body in an arrangement peculiar
to the species. and shine with light o
various hues. 1t is inferred that the!
serve, like the pigment cells of day
light animals. to form characteristic
specific pattern. So far from beinI
black, then. these fishes must presen
weirdly gorgeous spectacles. illuminat
ed az they arc amid the dark surround
Inc water.
I'm some cases the luminous organ
Of deep sea fishes shine not outward
but inward. Such Illuminating organ
are found most frequently In the ey
cavity. and the probable interpretatio
of them IL that they originally sh0n
outward. but becoming covered wit
skin folds. their purpose has becom
modified into supplying the eyes Of th
fishes with increased sensitiveness I
differences OF color between speCies."