680 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



meets them at home. The exudations covering them, is thei 

 a brilliant varnish. Their lustrous colors are beautiful in the 

 fish market, but when in their native element, they are seen 

 full of life, nimble and playful, they appear to be the most 

 graceful creatures, and cannot be observed unmoved. The 

 eyes of the fish are visible as far as the fish can be seen, and 

 its whole animate existence is expressed in them. In the 

 minnow and sun-perch there is a fearless familiarity, a social 

 and frank intimacy with their novel visitor which suprises 

 him. They crowd around him, curiously touch him, and 

 regard all his movements with a frank, lively interest. Nor 

 are the larger fish shy. The sheep- head, red and black gro- 

 per, sea-trout and other well-known fish receive the diver 

 with fearless curiosity. In their large, round eyes he reads 

 evidence of intelligence and curious wonder, which at times 

 is startling from its entirely human expression. No faithful 

 dog, or pet animal could express a franker interest in its 

 eyes. 



Their curiosity is expressed, not only in their eyes, but in 

 their movements. They share with mankind the desire to 

 touch what is novel to them. A diver was approached by a 

 large catfish, who came up and touched him with its cold 

 nose. The man involuntarily threw up his hand, and struck 

 the palm on the fish's sharp fin. There was an instant strug- 

 gle before the fish wrenched itself free, and then it only swam 

 off a short distance, staring with its black eyes at the intruder 

 as if it wished to ask who he was, and what he wanted. 



A long stay by the diver in a single place enables him to 

 test the intelligence of the fishes who visit him. A diver, 

 whose occupation kept him in one spot, was continually sur 

 rounded, while at work, by a school of gropers, averaging 

 about a foot in length. Having identified one of them who 

 had suffered from an accident, he noticed that it was a daily 

 visitor. After they had satisfied their first curiosity, the gro- 



