MAKING FRIENDS OF THE FISH. 



681 



pers apparently decided that their novel visitor was harmless 

 and clumsy, bat useful in assisting them to get their food. 

 They feed on Crustacea and marine worms, which hide under 

 the rocks, on mosses, and other objects on the bottom. In 

 raising anything from the mud a dozen of these fish would 

 thrust their heads into the hole for their food, before the 

 divei had removed his hand. They followed him about, ey- 

 ing his motions, dashing in advance, or around in sport, and 

 evidently displaying a liking for their new friend. Pleased 

 with such unexpected familiarity, the diver brought food wit'h 

 him, on his return, and fed them from his hand as one feeds a 

 flock of chickens. Sometimes two would get hold of the 

 same morsel, and then would result a trial of strength, accom- 

 panied with much flashing and glitter of shining scales. But 

 no matter how called off, their interest and curiosity remained 

 with the diver. They would return, pushing their noses 

 about him, with an apparent desire to caress him, and bob 

 down into the treasures of worm and shell fish his labor dis- 

 closed. He became convinced that they were sportive, and 

 indulged in play for the fun of it. This curious intimacy 

 was continued for weeks: that they knew and expected the 

 diver at his usual hour, was a conclusion he could not deny, 

 since they, unless driven away by some other fish who preyed 

 on them, were always in regular attendance during his hours 

 of work. 



The depth at which men can descend in a suit of submarine 

 armor, has been tested by experiment with the following 

 results : The diver can breathe, and his organs may retain 

 their normal condition, and he preserve his presence of mind, 

 Vo a depth of 130 feet, but when he exceeds this depth by ten 

 or twenty feet, tbs sxternal pressure causes physiological 

 effects on his organs, independent of his will. One hundred 

 and thirty feet is therefore the depth which experiment has 

 shown to be the greatest at which any prolonged submarine 



