The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-09-11


Ia the mud during the dry season.
Durlns the wet season the animal
stores up In It's system n reserve OF
fat, and then when the dry season
arrives and the rivers dry mp II con-
structs deep tubular burrow In
which II doubles up with head and
| tail together. The mouth OF the bur
row ls closed with most Ingenious.
| ly constructed mud flap through
which are several small perforatlons,
which Iermlt tho animal to breathe
air directly. as It ls also one of the
few species gifted with both lungs
| and gllls. While lnclosed In it9 nest
the Ash Is frequently dug out by the
natives, who highly prize It's flesh.
| In the period of incubation 1t lives
upon the reserve Of fat accumulated
during the rainy season. When the
| early rains soften the soil the flBh
energies from It's burrow and resumes
| Its aquatic existence. This Is a very
rare species, but few specimens hav-
| Ing ever come Into the possession OF
scientists.
Male Guards Eggs.
"In Lakes Huron and Erie, and In
some OF the interior lakes OF Ne1
York, is found the bowhn. At the
beginning OF the breeding season the
fish makes It's way from the deeper
water, where II has remained slug
glsh during the winter, to the spawn
ing ground, which Is usually at the
swampy end OF lake where there Is
an abundance Of aquatic herbage In
tersected by channels of clear water.
Here the fish circles round and
round until the soft weeds and root
let's are bent and crushed aside so as
to leave n crude form of nest, where
the eggs are deposited, adherlng to
the nest In enormous numbers. The
male remains on guard until the eggs
are Matched out, when the young APP
pear to leave the nest In body, stlll
under the watchful care OF the father,
who keeps the swarm together by
clrcllng round and round 1t.
One Ingenious Nest.
"The gouraml, or paradise fish,
builds very ingenious nest. A
muddy bottom Is generally selected
for this purpose The fish prefers to
use for the nest tufts OF peculiar
grass, which grows on the surface OF
the water and whose floating roots,
rising and falling with the move
ment OF the water, form natural gal
leries, under which the fish can con-
ceal themselves. The nest Is con-
structed by entangling the stems and
leaves, intermlngled with blades OF
grass, and Is Of nearly spherical
form much resembling In shape those
Of some birds, and when completed
Is attached among the plants in one
corner OF the pond After the eggs
have been deposited in the nest both
parents carefully guard 1t for
month, when the young are hatched
out, and then continue their loving
care until the young are large enough
to shift for themselves.
"The wrasses Of the Atlantic ocean
also build nests during the breeding
season. These are generally built
in creviccs OF rocks. The nest Is
usually in the shape of a crescent
and is six or seven inches wide at its
widest part, and twelve incnes high,
and Is made generally of tufts of
corallne, seaweed, zoophytes, broken
shells, etc, fixed together at their
| bases by semi-solid mucus. 1t Is
the work of both the male and the
| t. NftNsr
leading into the centre Of the nest.
A very remarkable thing about these
nests Is that they are generally butt
at half tide mark, which leaves them
exposed to the air at least twelve
hours each day-six hours at a tide.
The fish have been seen jumping out
of the water in order to reach the
nests when the tide is rising, but had
not yet reached the nest. 1t was in
this family of fishes that sleep wlj
first observed in fishes, that fish when
in an aquarium seeking a sleeping
place at night and lying down on one
side.
Coolies which are found in almost
all quarters of the globe, sometimes
build nests. The nest is usually made
of some molusk she'll or OF the cara
pace of crab, with the convex side
turned upward and cov..ed with
sand. The sand underneath the shell
is followed out and round opening
at the side, coated by a mucus Sc
creted by the skin of the male fish,
gives access to the interior. The
eggs, when ready, are stuck to the
inner surface of the shell forming
the roof.
Certain catfishes construct nests
about eight inches by six inches. This
nest which is always located in a
spot where the water is quiet and
there are plenty of aquatic plants,
has a soft water envelope. and after
the female has deposited her eggs in
it the male hovers over it, forcing
fresh water through the mass by
rapid vibrations of his fins until after
about week they are hatched. The
parents jealousy guard the eggs
from ell enemies.