6i8 



The Living Animals of the World 



Fholo by A. 8. Ri'ilbi 



INDIAN WEAVEK-FISH. 

 One ')f the grn\ip of .scorpion-fisties. 



found off Japan, in which the 

 scales have joined together 

 to form a perfectly solid 

 armour, whilst the paired fins- 

 of the abdomen have been, 

 reduced to a single spine, with 

 a few vestiges of other rays. 



The next family, a com- 

 paratively small one, includes- 

 the Tassel-fish, so called from 

 the long and delicate feelers 

 springing from the base of 

 the breast-fins, of which they 

 originally formed a part. Vary- 

 ing in number from tliree to- 

 fourteen, these feelers can be 

 moved independently of the fins. As these fishes all li\e in muddy water, and have the eyes 

 obscured by films, sucli tactile organs are necessary, in order to enable them to procure their 

 food. In some species they attain an enormous length. Tlie flesh is highly esteemed. Some 

 species have an air-bladder, which yields a good kind of isinglass, and forms an article of com- 

 merce in the East Indies. The nuijority are small species, but some attain to a length of 4 feet. 

 No less important than the preceding group, from an economic point of view, are the 

 Meagres, a family of coast-haunting species of the trojiical and sub-tropical Atlantic and 

 Indian Oceans, exhibiting a special preference for the mouths of large rivers, into which tlie}^ 

 freely enter. Bome, indeed, have become entirely fresh-water species. 



()ne of the most interesting of the family is the species to which the name of Drum has 

 been given, from the extraordinary noise which it produces — though some other kinds emit 

 similar noises. " These sounds," Dr. Giinther writes, '• can better be expressed by the word 

 'drumming' than any other. Tliey appear to be very frequently heard by persons in vessels 

 lying at anchor off the coasts of the United States, where these fishes are very common. The 

 precise method by which these sounds are produced is not known. Since they are accompanied 

 liy a tremulous motion of the vessel, it seems more probable that tliey are due to the beating 

 of the tails of the fish against tlie bottom of the ship to get rid of the parasites with which 

 that part of their body is infested." The drum attains a length of more than 4 feet and a 

 weight of over 100 lbs. 



Though forming liut a single small family, the Swokd-fishes are ne\'ertheless to be 

 reckoned amongst tlie m(i>t 

 interesting of living fishes. 

 Attaininff a length of from 

 12 to 15 feet, exceeding 

 vigilant, j)Ugnacious, and 

 powerful, they are anmngst 

 the most formidal)le of all 

 fishes. They derive their 

 name from the great de\'elo]i- 

 nient of the upper jaw, which 

 forms a huge, tapering, sword- 

 like weapon, covered along 

 its under-surface with numer- 

 ous small teeth. They attack, /•/,.(„ (,, a. x. Ruduuui i- ,so„,,. 

 apimrently without provoca- lagged SBA-scoRnox. 



tion, whales and other large AKocond ,ei,vese„tativeo(thosco,i,io„.fi.hes. 



