The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-30
From the New York Evening Post.

From the New 1orK Evening Fost'
~ HEN DR.. w. l. De Nyse. the as
NP1 sistant in charge of marine
w fishes at the Aquarium, had
time to sit down at his desk this after
noon and mop the perspiration from his
face that had accumulated during the
forenoon hours, he felt that he was en-
titled to hang up placard on the wall
saying: This is my busy day" 1t sure
enough was.
His first duty was TO receive and care
for a tarpon which was brought up from
Sandy Hook, and is believed to oe the
only fsh of that species ever captured
alive this far north, and only the second
that has been taken hereabouts at all.
After that he had to find room for u
consignment g. six barrels of specimens
just in from Bermuda, and on top of 1t
all. one of the California sea lions jump
ed out of her tank and gave half
hours free performance on the main floor
in the art of swimming on a dry tiled
floor
What wit some fish gettin in an 9TH
eTS B6II1nB out We SURE ulu Dt dllSt
havin' a time of it," said one of the at
tendants afterwards. They tells me as
the sea lion got loose, but TO see her
turnblin roun' the floor looks to my eyes
more like what she musta got tight"
The tarpon was brought up at an early
hour by Captain Schnorre, fisherman,
who found 1t in his pound net. near San
eel,
found mostly off the coast of Florida,
and becoming rare lately, even there.
The only one besides this known to have
been taken in local waters-or, indeed.
within hundreds of miles-was caught in
a net in Gravesend Bay about six years
ago by Dr. Nyse of the Aquarium and
his brother. 1t was dead when found, and
was sent to the American Museum of
Natural History.
Captain Schnorres tarpon was alive
when he got 1t out of the net, and he
took palms to keep it SO. He built a
box about nine by three feet, filled it
with water within few inches of the
top. put the fish in. and then set out
for the battery in his motor boat.
The tarpon Is an exceedingly delicate
fish. but arrived at the Aquarium all
right, and was at once placed with the
sturgeon in the big open tank on the main
floor and in front of the entrance. 1t is
about four feet, six inches long, silver
gray in appearance and weighs perhaps
seventy-five pounds.
DR.. Nyse put some menhaden In the
tank for the tarpon's luncheon. but 1t did
not seem to be in hurry about eat
ing. Doubtless 1t was pretty weak DIR.
Nyse is not sure that the tarpon will
live in captivity. If 1t does. 1t will soon
begin to get lively--as the tarpon is
most active ashland may soon be seen
darling about the tank and leaping sew
eral feet out of the water.
After the tarpon had been cared for. a
truck drove up with the fish that ar
rived this morning on the steamship Ber-
mudian, some 200 In number. and repre-
senting about thirty species. Among them
was thirty-five pound grouper and
fine spotted morays, angelfsh, green par
rots, squirrelfsh. hogfish and numerous
others notified with the gorgeous color
ing of the tropical waters. DR.. Nyse got
these distributed and was making final
round through the gallery. when there
was a hump on the floor below. follow
ed by chorus OF feminine screams.
Don't get excited" DR.. Nyse called out
as he took in the situation. "He won't
bite"
Down on the main floor. the visitors
did not seem to be so sure of that. The
tank from which the beast jumped was
labelled california sea lion and the
beast itself began to below and tumble
about the floor In a way that was any
thing but reassuring to the mind. There
was an exhibition of feminine sprinting
which would make New York Athletic
club meet look tame. as the women-yes.
and men, too-scurried for the stairways.
leading to the gallery.
DR.. Nyse organized salvage crops
among the attendants and went after
the sea lion which was a trained female
named Nipper. II does not helons to
the Aquarium. but TO Captain Woodward