New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-10
A BURGLAR FISH.
A Strange Creature That Makes His Own
Dark Lantern.

..r,to cor, e,,er zoe a burglar fish,, queried the
humorous scientist at the FISH commission yeste'
dov afternoon The Star reporter was conpehed
to admit that while he had read Of "Kanes' inc
Amateur Cracksrnan'' and had perused one OF W.
dime novels. burglar FISH" was decided" nv
..yyeII - continued the scientist with procllviT
for the ludicrOus, we have been MAKING Soi"7 ~
searches lately and one Of the things we nave ui"
covered is the burglar fish of course. that Il not
the scientific and dignifed name Of this piscatofa
species but his attributes and equipment are -
that he would have trouble in becoming oe0S
sea robber Most deep fishes possess luminous
- ord this particular class to which retef
bava nIiable muscles in connection WIN the lui'
mons organs which enable the hsn 70 turH "
organs inward at will and thus extinsuish 'Ii7 Is
Co Won see they can prowI around In the dai
AZ the bottom of the sea, suddenly display 60
o.rr,1 dark lantern secure their peit ana hio
themselves to the tail sea grass IN the asIo 80
W. have no way of proving that this ever has oeo
done bAcause there is no record that any ~
o,-or have been indicted and convicted LOT TINS U
eace but 7 merely mention 1t as a possipiity. 1t
has been suggested. however. by one OF my 80 -
scientists at the Fish Commission that 'heSe -
rarders are gathering all the insots Oh soio
hitch have sunk with the historic treasure sipa'
-. 80 s+ored the wealth in safe place a"dl'iHe
that transmit grafton of the soul "hich win -,
Them men instead of fish. Then they VIII i1a-. -
Ill gotten gains from the ever after OF
y9 III ranoTfer admitted that it looked very HUH
bo tfsb commission mas made some 49, "a
discoIeTies one thing kno" Is Insls 90 nan
esbes ore not black has been aSserteq III LII
nrs hnt are brilliantly colored the OIdc ~
MERELY effective oackSrOutu 20 -
$500 +tnts produced by their luminous OF
~ - organs though they vary rerlarka oy III
IN ~ he different species. yet show a ge1eIdI
oF cmttIedshes These luminous organs CONSIST ,SG5
eantiaIv of gland cells. which are entiIeiy M! -
-tb sacretfnC nuclei, and may be regaFueu d. nc
1900 ~ light Under these cells lies usItIIS q
tStr Iavar Of narrow and closely packed GERS,
rh;cb sct az a reflector. Between the luminous
VIE and the skin are interposed cells OF strong
refrsctiye power which may be regarded as -
ing lens and the whole organ Is enVeLoPe,tii -
cent or the nearest the skin, IN a HidHt4e VI
dark pigment cells =
of the body. and both singly ana IN sr .
indicate corresponding diversity In the Color ot
the light emitted by them The exact purpose UL
these organs can only be contectured Inc strucI-
,lre Of the eyes deep fishes Is modifeo Tor
adaptation to the phosporesce1 HSht eirlitIeo oS
the luminous organs. -.
in an arrangement peculiar to the species. ana
shine with light OF various hues IS inferred that
thew serve like the pigment cells OF daylight ami
mails to form a characteristic specific pattern so
far from being black, then. these fishes must pre-
Weirdy gorgeous SpectaCleS, Illuminated as
they are amid the dark surrounding water.
I'm the luminous organs or deep sea
fishes shine not outward. but inward such iIuml
mating organs found most frequently in the
eye cavity and the probable Interpretation OF them
ing covered with skin folds. their purpose has be-
come modified into supplying the eyes OF the fishes
with increased constituencies to differences of color
between species. - washington Star.