The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-08-01
SOME VERY ODD FISH
CURIOUS FORMS or LiFE-,T4AT- ARE
FOUND IN TtiE SEA


The eommonest .inhabitant Of sea or
sbore In olden times was invested with
fabuloy.4 qualities. The homely barna-
ole for instance. because OF It's feath-
erv breathing apparatus. was said to
no the parent OF q future bird, as q
nroof Of which ancient wiseacres point
cd 10 the rudhnentary feathers. Ger
rard. a naturalist who 1ourishe1 Mt the
close of the sixteenth century, actually
9ives credence TO tlie ridiculous legend
IN his ..IIcrbaI," and furnishes u dc
tailed account of the altered Inctamor,
phosls.
Even today. Notwithstanding the
elaborate and intricate systems OF sci
enti6c classification, there are sttn
,.rv Of the marine fauna with little
moro individuality thnn can be eS-
dressed in n Latin label. 1t IS with
fayy of these odd denizenS of the deep
TINT we are Immediately concerned.
pnt few VIII have happened across
tho sea ian, one OF the zoophytes or
animal plants. It IS found ON the DeY-
on coast occG sioually- II CONSISTS OF
calcareous framework or skeleton from
sIv IN twelve inches in height, with
DTElnGueEs hAAANA az DN-@@
With n flesh coIored membrane. The
I.,tter ia really composed of innumera-
HE Dolyps which, curious to relate, Sc
crete from the salt water the LINE nee
essarv for the building up of their
common support.
The sea pen is not dissimilar. 1t is
only three or four inches long and,
ike n Quill, is naked ut one end and
..feathered'' Mt the other, the polyps be
ing ON the edge of the feathers. The
sea pen is phosphorescent and when ir-
ritated, either by being injured or
thrown into fresh water, glows brightly.
a slightly higher but still lowiy form
of oceanic life is the tunicata. The
species is so called because the BODY
Is incased In n stout coating or tunic.
consisting of partly ceilulose, which, as
we know. is also largely present In the
vegetable world.
one variety OF the tunlcate or as
cidIan is shaped like double necked
bottle. All have two openings, one
for the influx and one for the outflow
of water.
renus of the tunicate family found In
tropical and subtropical seas. 1t ex-
lists in two separate forms, one or
which lives alone and produces num-
her of the others by a sort of budding
number of these latter unite side
by side SO as to make up a series or
ciuste-. Each of the numerous salpa
in the group lays II single egg, winch
In its turn evolves into one OF the SOL
ftary individuals.
Sea grapes might with greater rea-
son be. clasSed rs belonging to the veg
etable world beneath the waves anu
vet tl,rse sea fruit are not so innocu-
Gus as they would appear They are
the eggs of the embryo cuttletlsh' one
of the most repulsive and sinister OIL
submarine monstrosities.
The cuttiensh swims by ejeetng
let of water from tubular opening
Daar the head. Having an Internal
skeleton. 1t is closely allied to the ver-
tebrates. With its eight arms provided
with suckers, It's parrotlike beak, Its
prominent eyes and its playful habit OF
throwing mud in the eyes of its enc
mics by secreting an inlSy fluid, it IS
queer creature.
Its reiatlse, the octopus, is very
similar but is minus the two tcnta
Giles, or feeIcrs, possessed by the cutie
fish They are widely distributed III
tropical and subtropical seas and often
grow to q large size.
Encounters with them form fruit
rul thcne for travellers tales. Perhaps
The most imaginative is that fine piece
of writing descriptive OF fight with
one OF these devilfish Gas they are
sometimes called In Victor Huso.s
..,roilcrs OF the Sea-"
There are some very peculiar deni-
Zcus Of the seas which wash the Scotch
coasts. one of these enjoys the Gu
ohonious title OF the lumpsuci<er.
Thick and clumsy in shape, with u
rough and warty skin, its name IS
congruous one Nor is 1t made more
acceptable by its blue, purple and Or
auge tints and It's oily flesh, albeit tie
latter appears to be keenly relished by
seals.
The particular apparatus which gives
this ungainIy fish it's name is power
full sucker or disk on the lower part OF
ira body. The object OF this attach
nent Is not very clear, but by means OF
the sucker 1t can In stormy weather or
turbulent waters anchor Its clumsy
buIk safely to the bottom. When its
Young fry are matched in shallow water
they Immediately attach themselves
by means of their suckers to the male
dsh. which Is said to watch over them.
,rbe fifteen pound sticklcbuck, some
times called the sea adder, is salt wa
ter variety often found on the coasts OF
C;T6St Britain and ireland. 1t IRE
ouents rocky and stony bottoms cover
cd with seaweed and is chiefly remark
able for the fact that II IS unique