1877.] Traces of a Voice in Fishes. 153 
(Acantharcus pomotis), there is no doubt. Not only in the 
muddy brooks where it is mostly found, but also when confined 
in an aquarium, this fish will utter at times a deep grunting 
sound that cannot be mistaken. That it is voluntary, too, is 
evident from the quick, nervous movement of the whole body, 
and wide distention of the gill-covers that accompanies the sound. 
These sounds and those of the cat-fish first called my attention 
to the subject of voluntary production of sound or “ voice ” in 
fishes. Like the spineless perch, this sunfish is, I think, strictly 
nocturnal in its habits, and, from aquarial observations I am le 
to believe, chooses a mate, and accompanies her to the nest for 
ovipositing only at night. 
Of that interesting fish, the land-locked “gizzard shad ” 
(Dorosoma cepedianum), my observations have led to the detec- 
tion of a very audible, whirring sound, not unlike the deeper 
notes of a coarse string of an xolian harp. Those who may have 
noticed, at times, the vibrating thrill that arises from the wind 
passing over a number of telegraph wires, will have heard a 
sound nearly identical. I judge that both sexes utter this sound 
in concert; but it may be that during the early spring the 
Sexes separate, to come together again some few weeks later, 
When spawning commences, and, in such a case, that only the 
males were “ singing.” We find, especially in the herring tribe, 
that the sexes migrate separately ; but in the case of the gizzard 
shad, when land-locked, as there could be no migration, this 
separation probably does not occur. ; 
The chub-sucker or mullet (Moxostoma oblongum) is another 
example of those dull-colored, nocturnal fishes that frequent 
streams with muddy beds thickly overgrown with water plants, 
and which have the power of audibly forcing air from their 
bodies. In April, with a noticeable deepening of their colora- 
tion, there is increased activity in every movement, and, wholly 
unlike their actions by day, at night they swim quite near the 
surface, and utter a single prolonged note accompanied by a 
discharge of air-bubbles. They appear to project their jaws just 
above the water, and force the air from beneath their gill-covers 
immediately below the surface, as there are two parallel streams 
of bubbles.. When seen in the moonlight, these bubbles appear 
like minute silver beads. Swimming in this way, the mullet 
ie often proceed a hundred yards, uttering their peculiar 
call ” four or five times while passing over that distance. 
In the lamprey (Petromyzon nigricans) we have a semi-noc- | 
