Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-28

~ of animals in point of coloring. Inc
surface of the scales ordinarily Is
covered with thin silver coating which de-
rives its brilliant metallic lustre from the
presence Of many crystals, composed OF hme
and substance known as ''guanite.
This coating Is easily rubbed off, and in one
sort of European carp, called the bleak" the
CRYSTALS are so numerous that metallic pig
ment is derived from them, known in the arts
as argentine" which is used to impart lustre
to the glass globules. sold under the name OF
"Roman pearls"
When the silver coating is absent, the scales
of fish are lustreless and transparent, as IN
the case of the smelt, the abdominal cavity OF
which, however, has brilliant, silvery lining,
composed of the same substance.
The colors Of many fishes are due to a simple
arrangement Of pigment cells, but the brilliant
and changeable hues, which constitute the
greatest beauty Of these creatures, are derived
from two causes, very wide apart.
An illustration of one Of these may be OBJ
served in the scales of the herring. shad or
mackerel, being true irridescence, similar to
tion of the rays Of light as they glance of the
surfaces OF the thin plates of which the scales
are composed. More frequently, however, the
coloration is dependent on the arrangement OF
the pigment cells that are in the lower layers
of the outer skin of the fish.
In fish, when the black pigment precomi-
mates, the color is sombre, as in the adult
tautog slight admixture of yellow gives
the bronze-like hue to the eel, and little
more of the same results In the brighter green
Of the black bas and the blue fish.
Red pigments intermixed with black give
the dingy brown of the carp and some of the
catfshes. When the yellow and red outnum-
Der the black cells, there result the tawny
celo ,S Of the sunfshes and OF some varieties
Red pigment cells in the lower strata Of the
outer skin alone cause the brilliant scarlet of
the red snapper and the rosefsh, and when
these are interspersed with black, the deeper
colors of the mangroye snapper and the rudy
variety Of the sea raven result. When the
pigment cells gather into separate groups, ac-
cording to color. bands. stripes, spots and
shadings, infinite in their variety, are found.
In fish, as in other animals, albinos occur.
Very curious are the albino haddocks occa-
sionally taken on our coasts. The same phe-
nomenon is also observed in founders, carp
and eels In the depths of the sea, where
light is scanty, many fishes appear to remain
Fishes very commonly change their colors
to harmonize with the bottoms on which they
I've. for the sake Of concealment. This is
accomplished by the special secretion of the
On certain lodges along the New England
shores the rocks are covered with dense
prowths Of scarlet and crimson seaweed, and
the fishes which frequent their neighborhood
rested, by the way, that the pink Of the sal
mons flesh is due to the absorption of the
coloring matter Of the crustaceans they feed
It is in tropical seas that the most bril-.
liant coiored and beautiful fishes Of the world
are to be found Warmth and light are favor
able to brilliancy and variety Of hues always.
The fishes of the polar regions and those living
at considerable depth are usually sombre, and
down in the dark abysses OF the ocean they are
all black.