Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1895 — The Voice of a Fish. [ARTICLE]

The Voice of a Fish.

To most people the potjion that fishes have voices would seem rather absurd. Yet there are many species which seem to talk, and even sing. Some familiar ones, like the bluefish, croak when they are pulled out of the water. They do likewise in their native element, and often in concert, producing quite musical effects. A school of “gruntere” will furnish an example. From a vessel anchored in Southern waters one frequently bears at night the slow “boom—boom” of the jewflsh. Crews of ships have been startled on occasions by extraordinary noises like the beating of many drums in the distance. Likewise produced by fishes were sounds heard by Lieut. White, United States navy, in 1524, at the mouth of a river In Cambodia. They suggested a mixture of the bass of the organ, the ringing of bells and the tones of an enormous harp. In Chilian watery musical cadences are sometimes heard rising from the sea and covering four notes, resembling the tones of harpstrings. The “mnlgres” are famous for their vocal powers, emitting loud whistlings and hummings. The way in which fishes make these noises is as yet a mystery. Fishermen in Eastern Asia are said to hang little bells on the ends of their nets to attract fishes. In one county of Utah there Is snid to be an iron belt containing 50,000,000 tons of pure Iron ore surrounded by inexhaustible supplies of coal, but away from any railroad. A late report declares that a rich geld field was accidentally found a few weeks ago, on the San Juan River on Mexican border, by a school teacher and hia pupils.