Marcu 11, 1897 | 
NATURE 
451 
how long this immunity lasts in animals thus vaccinated against 
rinderpest. It has been ascertained that neither birds, such as 
fowls, doves, pigeons, guinea-fowls, and cranes are susceptible 
to the pest. An eagle and a secretary-bird were fed for weeks 
on intestines taken from rinderpest animals, but absolutely no 
ill-effect followed. Dogs and donkeys are also immune, as are 
likewise mice, guinea-pigs, and rabbits ; to pigs only, so far, does 
it appear possible to transmit the infection. In conclusion, Dr. 
Koch’s investigations with Dr. Edington’s plague microbe have 
proved that the latter is not the cause of rinderpest. 
NOCTURNAL AND DIURNAL CHANGES . JN 
THE “COLOURS OF CERTAIN: FISHES 
AND: OF '\THE SQUID (LOLIGO), WITH 
NOTES ON THEIR SLEEPING HABITS} 
WHILE investigating the nocturnal habits and colours of some 
of our native marine fishes, in 1885 to 1887, at Wood's 
Toll, Mass., in the laboratory of the U.S. Fish Commission, of 
which I had charge at that time, I made the unexpected dis- 
covery that a number of species had the peculiar habit of 
jassuming, while sleeping, a style of colouration quite unlike that 
)seen in the daytime. Numerous other duties prevented me from 
making as many observations of this kind as I wished, at that 
time, nor have I since had opportunities to continue them. 
Therefore I haye decided to publish these incomplete observa- 
tions, with the hope of inducing other naturalists to continue 
such studies in some of the various zoological stations that are 
now established. 
Most of my observations were made late at night, between 
midnight and 2 o'clock a.m., when everybody else had retired. 
The gas jets near the aquaria were turned down sp low as to 
give barely light enough to distinguish the forms and colours of | 
the fishes. Under these conditions, by using great care not to 
cause any jar of the floor, nor sudden movements of any kind, I 
succeeded in observing many species asleep. Most fishes sleep 
very lightly, and are aroused by almost imperceptible vibrations 
of the air or water. Some of these fishes took unexpected atti- 
tudes while asleep. : 
In many cases the change of colour from that seen while 
awake, or-in the daytime, consisted in a simple increase in the 
depth or intensity of the colours, the pattern of colours remain- 
ing the same, This was the case with several species of 
flounders. Those that are spotted or mottled with dark pig- 
ment showed their markings much more strongly, or in greater 
contrast with the ground-colour, than by day. Several species 
of minnows (/undulus), which are marked either with longi- 
tudinal or transverse dark bands, have these markings more 
decidedly black and better defined than by day. The same is 
true of the king-fish (A/evtecérrus nebulosus), in which there are 
obliquely transverse dark stripes that come out more strongly at 
night than by day. 
The black sea-bass (Serranus frovus) and the sea-robins 
(Prionotus palmaipes and P. evolans) presented the same phe- 
nomena, Several species of trout (Sa/ve/inus fontinalis, &c.) 
were observed to become much darker at night than in the |} 
daytime, but I was not sure that any of those observed were 
asleep at the time. 
It is well known that trout, flounders, and some other fishes are 
able to change their colours, even in the daytime, according to the 
colour of their surroundings. Therefore a darkening of the 
colours at night is to be expected, even if not asleep. But in 
all the cases mentioned above the nocturnal change of colour 
is of a protective character. 
Other fishes, however, show much more remarkable changes. 
Among these the seup or porgy (Sfevolomeus chrysops) is one of 
the best examples. This fish, when active in the daytime, 
usually has a bright silvery colour with iridescent tints. But at 
night, when asleep, it has a dull bronzy ground-colour, and the 
body is crossed by about six transverse black bands. When one 
of these fishes, with this colouration, was awakenedby suddenly 
turning up the gas, it immediately assumed the bright silvery 
colours belonging to its daytime dress. This experiment was 
repeated many times, on different individuals, with the same 
1 Abstract of a paper read before the American Morphological Society, 
_ December 30, 1896. These observations were also communicated to the 
Connecticut Academy of Sciences, in 1888, but were not published. (Re- 
printed from the American Journal of Science for February.) 
NO. 1428, VOL. 55] 
result. As this fish naturally rests among eel-grass and 
sea-weeds, the protective character of its nocturnal colours is 
obvious. 
A common file-fish (J/onacanthus, sp.) was observed that 
presents a very decided change in colour pattern. This species, 
in the daytime, is mottled with brown and dark olive-green, 
and the fins and tail are a little darker than the body, but 
when asleep, at night, its body becomes pallid grey or nearly 
white, while the fins and tail become decidedly black. These 
colours are decidedly protective at night, or in a feeble light, 
among rocks and weeds, where it lives. This and other species 
of file-fishes, when sleeping, would usually rest on the bottom 
with the back leaning against the glass of the aquarium, or 
against a stone at a considerable angle. 
The common tautog or black fish (7wefoga onit/s) has the 
curious habit of resting upon one side, half-buried among 
gravel, or partly under stones, and is often curved in strange 
positions. It is easy to imagine that the flounders originated 
from some symmetrical ancestral form that acquired, like the 
tautog, the habit of resting upon one side, at first only when 
sleeping, but afterwards continually, owing to the greater pro- 
tection that this habit and its imitative colouration afforded. 
The one-sided colouration and the changes in the position of the 
eyes, &c., would gradually follow in accordance with well- 
known laws of evolution. 
The common squid (Lofigo Peale’) was observed sleeping 
on several occasions, At such times it rests in an inclined 
position, on the tip of its tail and on the basal parts of the 
arms, which are bunched together and extended forward, so 
that the head and anterior part of the body are raised from the 
bottom, so as to give room for breathing, The siphon tube is 
then turned to one side. Under these circumstances the colour 
is darker and the spots more distinct than when it is active, 
owing to the expansion of the brown and purple chromato- 
phores. A. E. VERRILL. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
Oxvorb.—The Junior Scientific Club met on Wednesday, 
March 3, Mr. A. W. Brown (Ch. Ch.), President, in the chair. 
Prof. Ray Lankester exhibited and described a specimen of 
Cladosclache and a cast of a restoration of the skull of Thylacoleo. 
Both specimens have recently been added to the museum, Dr, 
J. S. Haldane read a paper on ‘*The Causes of Absorption 
of Oxygen by the Lungs,” which was followed by a lengthy and 
animated discussion. 
CAMBRIDGE.—Dr. S. HH. Vines, F.R.S., has been appointed 
by the Council of the Senate a Governor of the Oxford High 
School for boys. 
The valuable collection of Pyrenean and Alpine plants, 
numbering about 4000, made by the late Mr. Charles Packe, of 
Christ Church, Oxford, has been presented by his widow to the 
University Herbarium, 
Mr. WiLLiAmM LAmpson, who died recently at Le Roy, near 
Rochester, in the State of New York, left the bulk of his estate, 
valued at about one million dollars, to Yale University, from 
which he graduated in 1862. 
Tue Norwegian Parliament has unanimously decided to 
appoint Dr. Nansen to a Chair of Zoology in the University of 
Christiania. It is understood that the duties of the Chair will 
not interfere with any further explorations of the Arctic or 
Antarctic regions which Dr. Nansen may be disposed to 
undertake. 
To city and county authorities seeking a means of com- 
memorating the sixtieth year of the Queen’s reign, we commend 
the example of the Royal Reception Committee at Sheffield. 
This Committee was entrusted with the duty of preparing for 
the Queen’s visit to that city on May 21, and at the same time 
of arranging a suitable mode of commemorating the Diamond 
Jubilee, and they have decided that the endowment of the 
Sheffield University College is the best object. For this end 
the sum of 30,000/, is still required, and the Committee have 
resolved to invite subscriptions through the Mayor, the Duke of 
Norfolk. 
