FISHES. 343 



large number of fishes, of which the males are either permanently 

 or periodically brighter than the females, but whose life is not at 

 all more important for the welfare of the species than that of 

 the female, this view can hardly be maintained. When we treat 

 of birds we shall meet with analogous cases, where there has been 

 a complete inversion of the usual attributes of the two sexes, and 

 we shall then give what appears to be the probable explanation, 

 namely, that the males have selected the more attractive females, 

 instead of the latter having selected, in accordance with the usual 

 rule throughout the animal kingdom, the more attractive males. 



On the whole we may conclude, that with most fishes, in which 

 the sexes differ in color or In other ornamental characters, the 

 males originally varied, with their variations transmitted to the 

 same sex, and accumulated through sexual selection by attracting 

 or exciting the females. In many cases, however, such characters 

 have been transferred, either partially or completely, to the fe- 

 males. In other cases, again, both sexes have been colored alike 

 for the sake of protection; but in no Instance does it appear that 

 the female alone has had her colors or other characters specially 

 modified for this latter purpose. 



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. Dufosse, who has especially attended to this sub- 

 ject, 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-blad- 

 der, 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-produaing apparatus, consisting of small 

 movable bones, with proper muscles, in connection with the swim- 

 bladder." The drumming 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 imi- 

 "tating it, to take them without bait."'^ From this statement, 

 and more especially from the case of Ophidium, it is almost cer- 

 tain that in this, the lowest class of the Vertebrata, as with so 



" 'Comptes Rendus.' Tom. xlvi, 1858, p. 353. Tom. xlvil. 1858, p. 916. 

 Tom. liv. 1862, p. 393. The noise made by the Umbrinas (Sciaena aquila), 

 is said by some authors to be more like that of a flute or organ, than 

 drumming: Dr. Zouteveen, in the Dutch translation of this work (vol. 

 ii. p. 36), gives some further particulars on the sounds made by fishes. 



<2 The Rev. C. Kingsley, in 'Nature,' May, 1870, p. 40. 



