Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04

of the vessel, and about nine P. M. it ceased
entirely. having lasted about two hours. 1t
afterward accredited to sounds produced
byShoalS of fish.
The sea and river drumfish are famous for
their musical sounds. The Scieind@. or
"maigres." emit sound having a mean of
twenty-five seconds and also various notes,
which usually degenerate into a drumming
sound, either from excess or want of intensity.
which can be heard from a depth of twenty
fathoms. 1t is believed by some naturalists
that the song of the tabled sirens had its origin
in the utterances of shoals of these fishes.
1t is said that sea captain, while going up
the Gironde. for the first time heard the
magreS" song, and was thrown into great
alarm, supposing that his vessel had sprung a
leak and water was flowing into the hold.
Basis of Legend
THE beautiful legend of Pascagoula and it's
mysterious music. deemed supernatural by
the Indians, is based on the vocal efforts of
another drumfish. POgontds. The music may
often be heard on summer evening while in a
boat floating on the river. the low. Plaintive
sound, sweet but monotonouS, rising and
falling like that of an Eolian harp and seeming
to issue from the water. The sounds cease as
soon as there is any noise or disturbance OF the
water. Benville, the French explorer. heard
the music of Pascagoula when he made his
voyage in 1000 to the mouths of the Mississippi
and his experiences are recorded IN his MARIA
tive.
The seadrums. common off our coasts make
loud drumming noise during the breeding
season. which can be heard for miles still.
calm nights. 1 have heard them many times
along the North Carolina coast. The fishermen
say they are calling their mates.
Several other kind of fish able to sing;
but their identity is not certain in many cases
The "doree" Oohn Dory). or fish of Saint
Peter. manifests its presence at low tide by a
sort of clucking that has given it the name of
water chicken" A Balstes. trigger fish, -
gives out plaintive and melancholy sounds
like the creaking of a wagon wheel. A Pris-
tipome initiates exactly the quack of duck.
Even the funny can thrust its head out of the
water and sing in a voice that initiates crying
infant.
The Red Gurnard. or seacock. makes an odd
singing of a cuckoo. others like the grunting
of hog; Others again affirm that when it is
taken out of the water and touched. it erects
its prickles and cries "Curre!" very plainly.
For this reason in some parts of England they
go by the name of cures"
Another species of the same family is called
the piper" owing to the odd sound it emits.
Other Submarine Sonssters
THE Coyvima nigra. fish found in the Tagus.
a deep toned bell. gong. or pedal pipe of an
organ. Herring. when the net has been drawn
over them, have been observed to do the same
while the bullhead of our fresh waters emits
similar SOUNDS.
At Caldera. in Chile. musical cadences are
frequently heard to issue from the sea. rising
and falling fully four notes and resembling the
tones of harp strings mingling with great
delIcaCy and sweetness.
A sluroid, or catfish, found in the Parana
and Uruguay rivers. in South America. called
the armada is remarkable from harsh grating
noise it emits when caught by hook and line
which can be distinctly heard when the fish
is still beneath the water.
Another siluroid. the fiddler fish (Macrones
vtttatns). which Francis Day obtained in
Mysore India. became very irate when touched
erecting its armed Spines and emitting
sound resembling the buzzing of bee"
An amphibious siluroid (CLarids nacra-
oanthns), on being taken into the hand is said
to squeal and shrek like cat at bay.
Some of the blennies utter loud and shrieking
cries like human being in great pain.
A species of Tetrodon is called sea frog"
by the natives of Malabar. India. on account
of the noise it makes when captured. When
taken, the scad or horse mackerel. the globe
fish. the grunt. the pigish, and the hogfsh
make sounds resembling the granting of pig:
while one of the best known of the fishes along
our South Atlantic seaboard. the croaker. gets
its name from the croak it gives when taken
into the boat The monster Jewish of the
Gulf of Mexico will often break the stiffness of
the night with its "Booml Boomi" delivered
monotonously for considerable time.
Therdpon Cnyieri, occasionally taken in inn