New-York tribune., 1908-10-04
By John n. Cobb

/ vocal sounds, some OF which are really musical,
/ and as they are occasionally rendered IN
/ concert, 1t Is extremely probable that many
| of the legends OF the singing of the sirens
| OF the sea are really due 70 the music OF the
/ flshes.
/ In the narrative of his voyage to the China
/ seas in 1924, Lieutenant John White of the
United States navy. says that when in the
mouth Of the Cambodia River he and his party
heard extraordinary sounds around the ship
/ They were Ike the mixture of the bass notes
OF an organ, the ringing ot bells. the cultural
cries of a huge bullfrog. and the noises that
seemed to come from an enormous harp They
seemed 10 shake the very vessel These noises
increased. and finally formed a universal
chorus on both sides ot the ship
The interpreter told them that the cause
was a shOaI Of fish of fiat oval form. which had
the power of adherIng strongly to various
bodies by the mouth: Later investigators
have identified this fish as the dog s-tongue
shaped much ike a sole.
Saint John speaks of the singing hum
ming fish. which Is found in the rivers of
BOrneo. and attaches itself to the bottom of the
boat. producing sound somewhat ike that Of
q Jews harp struck slowly, though sometimes
1t increases in lOudneSS, SO as to resemble the
full sound or tones of an organ HIS DOatnen
pointed out to him a fish about four inches
long. marked with alternate stripes of black
and yellow across the back, as the author of
the music.
Another traveller lie Mosie describes con-
cert of singing fishes, each one of which ernItS,
in Russian music only a single nOte.-tull,
long, and grave. a sound like that of an ophi-
cleIde- These make up most extraordinary
ensemble; each eXecutant playing a unique
air IN a different key. The author of this mel
anchOly melody IS a long fish with a large flat
head. which the natives call machovian."
1t Is greenlsh, spotted, with a silvery belly, and
has short antenne on the SnOut.
Prayer relates that one night when he was
on the PontIniac, the largest river on the west
Goa Of I
sometimes low, sometimes high sometimes dis
tdnt, sometimes near. 1t came from the
depths, like the song of the sirens sometimes
sounding ike powerful organ. sometimes like
a sweet and harmonious KolIan harp. This
music the natives declare, Is produced by fish.
Music of the Sirens
DURING an exploration OF the Bay of Pailon.
IN the northern part of the Republic Of
Ecuador, Thornton with his party while skirt
ing shore one day at about sunset, all at once
heard strange sound. extremely low and
prolonged. Thornton asked his oarSmau where
the noise came from, and was told that it was
KIND OF hsh, called by some sirens and by
Others muslCos."
Advancing little farther, multitude of
different voices was heard. which initiated
perfectly the lower and middle tones of a
church organ heard outside the building as
on the church porch. The concert began about
sunset, and continued for several hours. the
eXecutants not being disturbed by the pres
ence OF men. but not showing themselves at
the surface of the water.
SIT J. Emerson Tenneut describes IN a most
fascinating manner an experience he had with
the musical fishes of Batticalao. Ceylou IN
I64S. They were said to be heard at night,
and most distinctly when the moon was nearest
the full. Engaging boatman on a still. calm
night, they rowed out into the lake in the
of one of the spots from which
the music was said to emanate And soon he
distinctly heard the sounds in question
They came up from the water" he saws.
Ike the gentle thrills of a musical chord. or
the tdlnt vibrations of a wineglass when its
rim Is rubbed by moIstened finger Ii was
not one sustained note. but multitude Of
tiny sounds. each clear and distinct in itself
the sweetest treble mIngling with the deepe,t
bass On applying the ear u the woodyvorlz
OF the boat the vibration was greatly increased
IN volume
While most Of the native believed the music
u proceed from tIsh, other, insisted that n
emanated from a shell which was known bv the
lo@aI native name Of oorIe coolreroo crtiop."
or crying shell
Frnny Concerts in Bombay
DR BUST. IN IS4-. report, the experience
- %. party that was crossing the harhorof
Bombay. India. IL a boat II was about sun
set an! all were surprised az hearing long
distinct sounds like the prptractcd booming
OF q distant bell, the dying cadence OF an