Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-10-22


Several hundred kinds Of deepsea fishes had
been collected-some of them dredged from
depth Of more than a mile-and 1t required a
huge quarto to describe and picture them. From
this volume dates our real knowledge of the
fishes Of the abyssal deep The Challenger"
expedition was inded. Columbus voyage in
ichthyology; It opened q new chapter in the his
tory of the science
Since that time many deep-sea exploring ex.
peditions have been sent out by the various ma
tions. and hosts of other fishes have been
brought up from the oceans In all parts of the
world. More than q thousand species are now
known and we can appreciate at its full value
the richness and strangeness Of this fauna
Moreover. not only do we know the fishes them
selves. but. a result of the scientific investi-
cations carried on by the various expeditions.
we now know q good deal of the physical con-
ditions under which they live so that we can. in
q measure at least, explain the why and where
fore Of their extraordinary characteristics.
When we think Of life in the dee2sea. there
comes to mind. first Of all. the enormous pres
sure which these creatures must withstand.
This pressure becomes the greater the deeper we
90 down. and in the profoundest depths it equals
thousands of pounds to the square inch. The
result of this pressure is that the tissues Of these
fishes are tender and loosely knitted together.
When they are brought up out Of the dark
depths. and the great pressure under which they
live is removed, the explosion of the gases with
In them bulges out the eyes. and often blows out
the viscera through the mouth. while the mus
cles collapse, leaving them soft and nabby like
moist rags Most deepsea fishes are very small
also usually only few inches in length, and II
IL probable that this reduction in size has come
about, to some extent at least. from the great
pressure under which they live.
Another important condition is the dimness d
light or even darkness in the profound depths
tho Ina
ing into the deep ocean. We see the light gro.
DINNER and DINNER as we go down. until finally
q level is reached beyond which no light pens
trates at all. The entire vast depth below 1t. b
In eternal darkness. Now the fishes living n
this dim light. or in total darkness. have been
profoundly modified by 1t. In some forms ae
eyes have become very small and in SOM -
have entirely disappeared. There are even fsses
in which the skin and scales of the BODY ve
crown over the place where the eyes Id
BE- 20 that these fishes are as has been 1.ly
said. blind beyond redemption" Other rs.
ON the other hand have been affected
entirely different way. The eyes. instea OF
attempt to catch every heeting ray of light In
some fishes this has been carried SO far thai ne
eyes have become like enormous goggles
Most deep-sea fishes have luminous organ Of
one kind or another. that they carry ,-eir
Dwn light about with them. In some the entire
body glimmers, the coating OF slime which .
sxudes from the pores and lateral canals. emit 4
ing soft silvery glow. In others rows of mi !
ante. luminous organs run along the sides Of the
,ody or there are flashing lightspots on the
head or face. What a wonderful sight would be
% US q small black fish fitting through the 81
cnce and darkness Of the deep with its head
ights and row of pores cleaning through the
larkness like some small ship passing through 4
he night with its portfolios all aglow Some
leep-sea fishes have q luminous organ at the
md of q feeer on the head.
pertinent question may be asked: How do
70 know these fishes glow and glimmer. since
10 human eye has ever beheld them in their
Ibyssal home! We know this partly from anal
~ and partly from actual observation. When
ne n IN Q bo,t in the tropics. on one Of those
ultry nights when everything is a dead calm,
nd the black clouds hang 80 low that sky and
- form one continuous backness, then one
nay zee the glimmering fishes darting out Of the
II Of the boat their forms. silvery and ehost.
ne, outlined for one moment against the black.
- Of the sea- This effect is chiefly due to
he oxidixing of the Shiny secretion covering
heir bodies Why shall we not believe then.
ut n deep-sea fishes . similar phenomenon
Re- place. particularly as in many ef them