Birds and Nature, Vol. VIII, No. 2, September 1900

There is an interesting family of fishes in our fresh waters known as Minnows; these fishes are too small and too full of bones to become a favorite for the table. They are the most helpless of all our fresh water fishes, being soft, and, as they are slow swimmers, they become an easy prey to larger fishes, and form a large part of their food supply. They have been constantly driven into smaller streams and shallow water, until they have become exceedingly dwarfed. Their only use in the economy of fish life seems to be to assimilate small organisms, converting them into such shape that they can be taken by the larger fishes. Now the Minnows of all the United States east of the Rockies are small and, except in case of a few species, they are less than six inches in length. The predatory fishes, such as the Sunfishes and Perches, Pike and Pickerel, are their worst enemies. In the Rocky Mountains there are none of these fishes, and many minnows there grow to a length of two feet or more. The only enemy of importance they have is the trout, but the minnow finds a more congenial climate in the larger bodies of water, too warm for the trout. The struggle for existence has been a severe one, especially so in our streams where species of fish are the more numerous. It has greatly limited the growth of most species beyond an average size, and is in many places responsible for the fact that often a species may become dwarfed in certain bodies of water. In the Salmon river in Idaho it was not an uncommon thing to catch trout of three or four pounds weight. In the smaller tributaries and in the smaller mountain lakes it was unusual to catch one weighing over one-half pound, the average being less than one-fourth pound. I have no doubt that many of those from the small lakes of one-half pound were as old as the large ones taken from the Salmon river.

Fish eat and grow very irregularly. The average size of individuals, which we would ordinarily call adults, for some species, is different in different bodies of water. Their growth is influenced largely by the size and depth of the body of water in which they live, also by its temperature and the amount of suitable food it contains. The value or extent of each of these influences is imperfectly understood.

The forms of fishes are very numerous. Some are extremely long and slender, as many of the species of Eels, Pipe-fishes and the like, while others are extremely short, like Sunfish of the ocean. Others, like the Trunk Fishes, are nearly equal in all dimensions. The average form and the one which best suits our idea of a fish, is the Black Bass, or other fishes of similar pattern. To know the advantages of these forms one must study the fishes in their native element. The peculiar forms which many species take are the most noticeable in those found in the tropics. The struggle for existence there is the most severe, and it seems as if each species had labored to take on some peculiar form which would assist most in its preservation. In this respect color also plays an important factor. It is in the tropics and among the many species of corals that we find the most highly-colored fishes.

Many fishes have the power to change their color, and this they can do in a very short time. The flounders are a peculiar family, the young when born are symmetrical. Early in life they take on the habit of their parents and lie on one side, the eye on the underside disdains to look downwards and so begins to move toward the other side. The bones of the head suit themselves to this change and soon our flounder has both eyes on the same side of the head. The upper side is colored much to resemble sand, and the under side becomes nearly white. The flounder protects himself by covering his body, except the eyes, with sand. Flounders live on sandy bottoms, some in shallow water, while others are found in deepest parts of the ocean. If flounders are placed in an aquarium and arranged so the light can fall on the under side of their bodies, this, too, becomes dark, much like the other side.

It is interesting to study the habits of fishes in a small aquarium, and to especially notice their ability to change color, and how rapidly they do it. So many persons seem to be saturated with the idea that an aquarium must have in it one or more gold fish. This seems to me to be a mistake when our streams contain so many species suitable for the aquarium which are far more handsome than the gold fish, and which, if you give them half a chance, will teach you something of interest. Mr. Ford, of Berwyn, Illinois, has a small aquarium, in his house, in which he keeps from fifteen to twenty-six species of native fishes. Among these are several species of Darters, the most beautifully colored and the most interesting of all our fresh-water forms. Then there are Minnows, Suckers, Catfishes, Sunfishes, the Pike, Mud Minnow, Top Minnow, and so on. To one who would know fishes, any one of these species is more desirable than gold fish. The study of fishes in an aquarium, such as the one possessed by Mr. Ford, is extremely interesting. They will teach you much about their habits, besides giving you many lessons showing their ability to change color and adapt themselves to their surroundings.

The readers are, if they will only study fishes, sure to find them extremely interesting. There are a wonderful variety of fishes, each well adapted for the life it leads. You will find them in the brooks, creeks, rivers and lakes or ocean, wherever you happen to be, and you are sure to be highly repaid for all the study or attention you may give them.

    Seth E. Meek.

THE ORIGIN OF THE FISH

A BIRD-FISH STORY

Once upon a time, and that was in the long ago, there lived a Koko-bird along the forest shores of the Boozoo river. I am not quite certain in what country this river is but I believe it is somewhere in Gazazuland. It does not matter much where it is or was, but of one thing I am absolutely certain, and that is that the river did exist, else how could the bird have lived along its shores? Now this bird was quite beautiful, could sing quite well, and could fly quite gracefully; accomplishments which all of the other birds of the community willingly admitted, but the Koko-bird was very boastful. In a loud, arrogant voice he would proclaim himself the handsomest, the most musical and the most graceful of all the feathered tribe. At first his neighbors tried to ignore these boasts, hoping that the Koko-bird would in time learn better manners, but he did not; on the contrary, he became more boastful every day, in fact every minute, so that his presence became almost unbearable, causing great mental irritation and a feeling of nausea in those who were obliged to listen to him. A bird committee was therefore appointed to obtain an audience with the Golden Eagle, who was then the ruler of all the birds, and petition his majesty to convene the bird council in order that suitable punishment might be meted out to the boastful Koko. The very next day the meeting was called by special and very swift bird messengers. The Koko-bird was brought a prisoner before the king of the birds, the bird council and a vast concourse of birds from far and near, who had come to witness the trial. In a measured and stentorian voice the king asked the following questions of the culprit:

"Are you the handsomest of birds?"

"I am," replied the Koko-bird.

"Are you the best singer among birds?"

"I am," again replied the boastful bird.

"Are you the most graceful and the highest flyer among birds?"

"I am," replied the braggart for the third time.

The king of birds then flapped his right wing and there came forth the gorgeous bird of paradise, with the beautiful and wonderful tail feathers and crown, at the sight of which the members of the bird council individually and collectively flapped their wings in admiration. The eagle once more turned to the Koko-bird and in a terrible voice demanded:

"Are you still the handsomest among birds? Heed well your answer."

The Koko-bird gave one sidelong squint at the beautiful bird and said:

"I am," in a very indifferent tone of voice; whereat the assembled birds were astonished.

The king of birds then flapped his left wing and there came forth a nightingale which began to sing so sweetly that some of the listeners fell from their perches out of sheer ecstasy and they would have been hurt by the fall had they not caught themselves in the air by means of their wings. Even the king of birds was greatly moved, for he was seen to brush a tear from his right eye before he turned to the Koko-bird and spoke in a thunderous voice:

"You have heard this marvelous singer. Are you still the best vocalist among birds? Heed well your answer."

The Koko-bird merely yawned and said, "I am," and again the birds were greatly astonished.

The king of birds now nodded his head and there arose out of the multitude of birds a blue crane, whose home was near the Gingago river in farthest India. Its wings moved in even, silent, graceful undulations. It gradually rose higher and higher. All of the birds, with the exception of the Koko-bird, watched it spellbound until it appeared a mere speck in the distance. The Koko-bird gave one glance at the high flyer, then curled one foot up in his feathers, shook his head, closed his eyes and dozed peacefully.

For the third time the king of birds turned toward the Koko-bird and spoke in a voice even more terrible than on previous occasions.

"Are you the most graceful and highest flyer among birds? Answer me quick and heed well your answer."

The Koko-bird merely opened one eye and said sleepily, "I am," whereat the vast concourse of birds were astonished for the third time. Some opened their bills in amazement at such unheard-of audacity; others hooted and screamed, clamorously, demanding that the wicked Koko be severely dealt with.

The king of birds now flapped both wings to demand silence and attention. Those who had their bills open closed them with a snap and the clamorous ones became perfectly quiet. The king then turned toward the council and spoke in an even, stentorian voice, as follows:

"Gentlemen birds of the council. The prisoner, otherwise known as the Koko-bird, stands before you, self-accused and self-condemned. I commit him to your judgment. Let his punishment be as severe as the bird law will permit."

The bird council then adjourned to the large council tree where they remained in closed session for one hour. They then returned to the bird assembly and the leader thus addressed the king of birds:

"Your majesty, the grand council of this bird assemblage, convened by you, find the prisoner guilty and fix upon the following punishment:

"1. Because of his boast that he is the handsomest of birds his tail and wing feathers shall be pulled out and all other feathers shall be shorn close.

"2. Because of his boast that he is the best singer among birds he shall be struck dumb.

"3. Because of his boast that he is the most graceful and highest flyer among birds, he shall forever be prevented from moving in the atmosphere in which we move."

No sooner had the speaker finished when the handsome feathers of the Koko-bird disappeared. This so surprised Koko that he actually awoke from his slumber. He tried to say, "Well! well! what has happened," but could not utter a sound. The king of birds now flew away, which was the signal for the adjournment of the assembly, for, you see, their work was done. All of the birds began to depart for their respective home trees, but before doing so each one said something sarcastic or insulting, hoping to humiliate the forsaken culprit. This merely annoyed Koko a little. He tried to retaliate by boldly declaring that he was the handsomest, the most musical and the most graceful of all birds, as he had often done before, but he could not, for had not the council decreed that he be "struck dumb?" He tried to catch the little sparrow, who, by his derisive twitterings, annoyed him even more than the vulture, by his coarse insults, but his wings would not carry him. He merely succeeded in falling into the Boozoo river.

"Now I shall be drowned," he thought, for you remember he could not talk. But behold! he did not drown; by means of his featherless wings and tail he could swim beautifully on top of the water as well as in it. His body feathers being gone, they did not become water-soaked and give him the snuffles, a severe cold, or perhaps pneumonia. Koko was astonished to find that water, which he had formerly feared, was not bad at all. He could drink whenever he wanted to without having to stand at the edge of the river bank, as he formerly did and get his feet all mud. In time his wings and feet became fins and the feather stumps became scales; in other words, the erstwhile boastful Koko became a fish.

The Koko-fish (for so must the Koko-bird be called now), would have lived in the Boozoo river peacefully had not an owl noticed him one day.

"O, ho! What is this?" said the wise one, blinking both eyes. "Such a creature was never seen before. I must investigate closer." So saying he flew to a lower limb and looked hard at Koko. Koko, in turn, stared at the owl out of one eye; he did not wink or blink but simply stared and said nothing.

"By my wisdom," said the owl, "if this isn't Koko. I know him by his eye. Well! well! what may not happen next?"

That night the wise owl repaired in all haste to Urtzook in Tartary, where the bird council was again in session, and reported his wonderful find, whereat the king of birds and all present were greatly astonished for the fourth time. They expressed a fear that Koko would some day leave his watery element and return to them. The king turned to the wise one and said:

"How know you that the creature which you beheld in the limpid waters of the Boozoo is the erstwhile Koko? and let me remind you, heed well your answer."

"Uh! how do I know, indeed," replied the owl, "by his eye, by his cold stare."

"Our enemy, the Boa, also hath an eye with a cold stare; is he therefore also a metamorphosed Koko? Again heed well your answer," continued the king in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

The owl winked and blinked, adjusted his spectacles and made answer.

"The undeniable evidence that the creature referred to is the metamorphosed Koko-bird is as follows: All the wise birds of your kingdom, including your humble servant, have searched far and near and have found no Koko-bird. We, ahem, I, have found this creature with the cold stare; therefore, it follows that this staring, scaly, wingless and featherless creature must be the metamorphosed Koko-bird, for how could it be otherwise?"

All doubt vanished at such display of wisdom and the king of birds at once dispatched the Flipflap bird to the banks of the Boozoo river, instructing him to keep a sharp lookout on the now scaly Koko and to drive him back into the water should he attempt to leave it. Even to this day the guardian of fish may be seen perched upon a stump, closely watching the rippling waters. As soon as one of the finny tribe approaches near the surface he makes a dash for it, compelling it to return with all speed. For his faithful services the Flipflap bird has been dubbed Kingfisher, which is a much nicer name.

    Albert Schneider.

THE BANANA

Tall and stately, capped by a gracefully arched group of leaves and a nodding spike of numerous flowers, the banana is noted alike for its beauty, its nourishing fruit and its many qualities of economic value. Some one has said, "The banana is the queen among ornamental herbs, and the household god of the laborer's cottage."

To him who dwells in the tropics the banana is as wheat and rice are to the inhabitants of more temperate regions.