THE MYSTERIOUS MUSIC OF PASCAGOULA. 793 



the music will instantly cease, to begin again as soon as all is 

 quiet. 



A few days ago I was told, by a lady residing here, that one 

 night this summer, while rowing upon the river, she heard the 

 music. " As we approached the sound/' she said, " it seemed to 

 go away from us, but we continued to follow it even some dis- 

 tance up the bayou on the other side of the river, when, for 

 fear of losing ourselves in the intricate windings of the bayou, 

 we left it." 



My friend, the late Rev. R. G. Hinsdale, of Biloxi, has told me 

 that at that place there are three different kinds of this music 

 heard, viz. : the first is like that I have described ; the second is a 

 quick, sharp note sounded at different intervals, like this : 



the third is another note repeated twice, as follows 



As I have before hinted, I have no theory of my own to offer 

 in explanation of the strange phenomenon known as the mys- 

 terious music of Pascagoula, but shall merely give the theory 

 that was advanced by Darwin years ago. In his " Descent of 

 Man," page 347 (revised edition), Darwin says, " The last point 

 which need be noticed is that fishes are known to make various 

 noises, some of which are described as being musical. Dr. Du- 

 fosse*, who has especially attended to this subject, says that the 

 sounds are voluntarily produced in several ways by different 

 fishes : by the friction of the pharyngeal bones ; by the vibration 

 of certain muscles attached to the swim-bladder, which serves as 

 a resounding-board ; and by the vibration of the intrinsic muscles 

 of the swim-bladder. By this latter means the Trigla produces 

 pure and long-drawn sounds which range over nearly an octave. 

 But the most interesting case for us is that of two species of 

 Ophidium, in which the males alone are provided with a sound- 

 producing apparatus, consisting of small movable bones, with 

 proper muscles, in connection with the swim-bladder. The drum- 

 ming of the Umbrinas in the European seas is said to be audible 

 from a depth of twenty fathoms, and the fishermen of Rochelle 

 assert that ' the males alone make the noise during the spawning- 

 time, and that it is possible, by imitating it, to take them without 

 bait.' " 



Whether or not these fishes inhabit or visit the waters of the 



VOL. XXXVI. 51 



