Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-14

to the fact that the habits Of some of the
most common fishes are scarcely known
except by a very small circle of fish cul-
turists. He took as an illustration the
case of the crappie. showing how closely
related species differ much In habits.
Taking the species of fishes which exer-
else parental care over their offspring, he
called attention to the little known fact
as the black bass and the sunfish. He
declared that while it formerly was
urged that all eels must spawn in fresh
water. closer observation has disclosed
the fact that all Of their spawning Is
done In the deep sea, and that no cells re-
turn after spawning.
The division of mollusks has a very
large collection Of shells-land, fresh
water and ma
Thousand Shells rine. A recent
Recent Addition. Collection " cons ON.
sists Of nearly a thousand land shells
gathered by the Roosevelt African expe-
dition. Another large addition consists Of
land and fresh water shells from the
Philippines. From deep-sea dredgings,
made chiefly by the vessels Of the bureau
Of fisheries a large amount of fine ma
terial from the ocean bottom in different
parts of the world has been accumulated.
While consisting chiefly of the remains
of the lowest forms of life, this material
also contains immense numbers Of small,
and even microscopic, mollusks. The
work of sorting out the specimens is slow
and tedious, no less than a quarter Of
a million specimens being obtained In a
single year. DR.. William H. Dali, the
curator, has been gathering mollusks
along the northwest coast Of America for
been arranged SO as to permit It being
systematically studied.
The division Of marine invertebrates
deals with the lowest Of all the sub
kingdoms of the animal world. This divi-
sion has a magnificent collection Of these
Lowry creatures OF the sea. and Is grad
ually expanding 1t, both in the number
of specimens and the number OF species
represented. During q recent year the
steamer Albatross gathered over 1900
specimens Of brittle stars in Japanese wa
tiers. The international character Of zoolo4-
ical science Is disclosed by the fact that
many valuable add tons to the National
Museum collections have been presented
to 1t by the expeditions Of the French
and English ocean-surveying vessels.
There is no more interesting phase of
animal life than that Of the Inhabitants
OF the deep sea-
ocean Is Rich The oceans are i'm
,u.u c,r.e measurably rich In
Will 1IaAt AiAe' plant life, and
8. like suuply of animal life to
maintain the balance Even the oeepes.
o,,.r,. ~ the ocean have been found
th,ouoh actual explorations to be inhab-
tod nv representatives Of nearly all the
forms of life met with IN any surface
those compsrsa With 1ast which ana a.
.hO''nSs ~ nlsD fathoms Of water the
Upward Of three hire 81 tons 1Ss to the
sauare i nea,,s to be happy and prosper
o oUs'o, One sinds here such creatures as the
brittle stars and the stalked erinoios.
curious FACT is that when the den Gems OF
t f1e'o deep are brought 70 the surface the
sudden removal Of pressure Iofces tneir
otber hand, il they are placed under an
ARTIFICIAL pressure equivaient 70 tnat OF
come enn Unconscious and die If it is contIn-
ued too long. ~.