316 Fish Stories 



early in the morning when I heard soft murmuring music 

 all about me, sweet and delightful in every way. At first I 

 thought it came from the wind, as it reminded me of an 

 JEolian harp or something of the kind, but the shore here 

 was devoid of everything of that kind, a barren slope; yet 

 the notes still rose seemingly from all about, rising and 

 falling in a most marvelous fashion. While I stood looking 

 up and around, a Mexican stood by a boat not far away, 

 mending nets. I pulled in and asked him if he had heard 

 the music. ' Muy bueno,' ' good luck,' said the man. ' Some 

 time he sing plenty, sometime he gone.' 



" ' But what? ' I queried. 



" ' Why, singfish, seiior. I hear him plenty of time. He 

 big mouth, sharp teeth, buttons on his jacket, all same 

 soldier,' and the fellow laughed. 



" I made him go back to the place with me and pretty 

 soon we both heard the ' music,' which now seemed to come 

 from a series of grunts or from all about; the combined 

 sound sufficient to produce ' music' 



" ' That fish, he sing,' said the Mexican, ' that all he good 

 for, he sing, grunt, no good for fisherman.' Then he took 

 one of my lines, rigged on a small hook, baited it with 

 abalone and tossed it over and in a few moments he landed 

 the 'singing fish' (Porichthys notatus), one of the most 

 interesting of the denizens of the sea, in American waters. 

 It was about twelve inches long, a deep bluish-brown color 

 with a flat head and rows of shining spots, like buttons, along 

 its belly. At first glance it looked like a catfish, and the 

 moment it was landed it opened an enormous mouth armed 

 with fine teeth and grunted and groaned; a grunt so deep 

 and resonant that it was startling, a deep bass grunt not 

 unpleasant which came from far away and had a peculiar, at 

 least so I imagined, musical quality. I looked astonished and 

 the Mexican laughed. ' He sing all right, muy bueno,' and 

 for a few moments the singing fish wailed, groaned and 

 grunted or croaked." 



