Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-22

TT is an ancient saying that there are
as good fish in the sea as ever were
caught but it is doubtful II there
are any stranger fish in the sea than
have been caught and which may be
seen in the fish exhibit in the National
Museum. The eye of the average man
in this latitude. or at least in this To-
cality. is accustomed to the appearance
of a fishlike fish. silver gray in color
with here and there a darker hue, and
with normal fins and tail and pieni-
tude of scales. One is not accustomed
TO look upon fish that carry upon them
not only all the colors of the rain
bow-perhaps more colors than are in
the rainbow-but have these colors
mixed in the most fantastic and out
landish combinations.
on many of the fish the color schemes
are not only unlike any that landsmen
know but the patterns are in some IN
stances so curious that they would seem
to be the work of comic cartoonist.
Perhaps the first thought that comes
to one who looks upon these fish is that
the color effects of tropic birds have
been carried out in the makeup OF the
citizens of the sea. No more brilliant
and fanciful coloring can be found
among the birds of the tropics than is
to be seen among these fish. The coral
or the harlequin snakes are not more
strangely marked and colored.
1t is rather quiet corner of the
museum where these fish float in glass
containers filed with some preserving
huid The fish are still very lifelike.
and there is no suggestion that their
coiors have begun to fade.
One of the exhibits is yellow mack
erel. sometimes called runner, and
sometimes a hard tall which was
captured off Beaufort, y. c. 1t sug-
gests the palette of painter after he
has mixed many colors. There are
splashes and blotches of blue of various
shades greens of varying degrees OF
yerdancv and touches of the brightest
yellow, and among all these hues. laid
on without the least attempt at the
making of a pattern. are splashes OF
pink on looking at the fish one ~
reminded of that multi-colored bird
called the painted bunting"
Nearby is fish from Hawaii which
seems 10 have no common name. and
which is labeled Anthias puscIpinnis.
II is about the size and shape OF the
Potomac tobacco box" 1t is canary
yellow. with red spines on the back fin
and touches of scarlet on the tail Near
it is another curious fish not much
larger than big minnow Its color
Is bright lnulSO Diue, warren Win siHdi
red patches 1t was brought to the
museum from Apia, Samoa, and the
only name which it bears in the mu-
scum is Stethojulis bandanensis
There is slender flying fish about
eight inches long. which came from
Hawaiian waters. and the native name
of which is "malolo" Its chief color
is bright marine blue. with black and
silver on its sides and an orange-col-
ored tail One of the exhibits is hsh
labeled the common pompano. which
resembles in shape that of small
FOUNDER. Its colors are blue. pink. yell
low and green strangely combined. IL
carries green fringe along its back
and it's keel and its tail is green.
The blue surgeon fish. or the blue
tang. from the Bahamas. always holds
spectators for some time. 1t is large.
ovaI-shaped fish with a thin founder
like body, and its color is rich indigo
blue with splashes of bright yellow.
The fish from Hawaii. which the ma
tiyes call "poopa'a.' is small having
about three inches of fish and one inch
of tail 1t is colored like a harlequin
Of the sea. 1t is gray. blue p,ia pie and
-. .rd ar 'u-d - I u