Aug. 5, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



97 



Visitors to our Exhibit in the Angiing: Pavilion at 

 the World's Fair should not fail to examine the 

 stock of "Forest and Stream" books which will 

 be shown by the attendant. 



THE ARCHER FISH OF SIAM. 



DwELi.ERS along the seashores have become familiar 

 with several types of fishes which have the mouth and 

 adjacent parts curiously modified to adapt them for some 

 peculiar habits in obtaining food. The pipe fish, sea 

 horse and flute-mouths will readily occur to mind in this 

 connection. 



An equally remarkable instance is recalled by Mr. 

 Baldwin's accompanymg illustration of the archer fish. 

 In this genus the bones of the jaws ai'e greatly elongated 

 ahd are connected laterally by membrane, while the 

 mouth opening is small. The result of this structure is 

 a slender tube capable of being employed, and very 

 effectively employed, as a blow pipe for the capture of 

 insects by the discharge of globules of water. The jaws, 

 moreover, are provided with tine brush-like teeth. 



The archer fish, jaculator fish, or enceladus, inhabits 

 the east coast of Africa and the seas of India, the Malay 

 Archipelago and China. It appears from the published 

 accounts that the fish is not confined exclusively to salt 

 water but occurs also in brackish water and, probably, in 

 fresh water ponds. 



The same habit of ejecting drops of water from the 

 mouth with sufiicient force to dislodge insects and pre- 

 cipitate them into the water has been attributed to other 

 .Javanese fish, but, in the opinion of recent writers, the 

 subject of our present sketch is the one to 

 which this singular power is rightfully 

 ascribed. Travelers have long known about 

 this peculiar method of capturing insects, 

 although observations have been compara- 

 tively infrequent and some doubts have 

 arisen as to the identification of the actual 

 archer. The following account is an ab- 

 stract by Dr. Francis Day from Schlosser's 

 article in the Philosophical Transactions of 

 the Royal Society for 1764: 



"The jaculator fish frequents shores and 

 sides of rivers near the sea in Asia in search 

 of food. When it sees a fly sitting on the 

 plants which grow in shallow water, it 

 swims to the distance of 4, 5, or 6ft., and 

 then, with surprising dexterity, it ejects 

 out of its long and tubular mouth a single 

 drop of water, which never fails striking 

 the fly into the sea, when it becomes its 

 prey. This aroused Governor Hommel'a 

 curiosity, and he had a large tub filled with 

 sea water, in which he placed some of 

 these fish. When they were reconciled to 

 their situation a slender stick with a fly 

 pinned on its end was placed in such a 

 direction on the side of the vessel that the 

 fish could strike it. It was with inexpress- 

 ible delight that he daily saw these fish 

 exercising their skill in shooting at a fly ; 

 and they never missed their mark. Pallas 

 continued this account from Governor 

 Hommel's letters two years subsequently, 

 remarking that when the jaculator fish 

 intends to catch a fly or any other insect 

 which is seen at a distance, it approaches 

 very slowly and cautiously, and conies as 

 much as possible perpendicularly under the 

 object; then the body being put in an 

 oblique situation, and the mouth and eyes being near the 

 surface of the water, the jaculator stays a moment quite 

 immovable, having its eyes fixed directly on the insect, 

 and then begins to shoot without ever showing its mouth 

 above the surface of the water, out of which the single 

 drop shot at the object seems to rise. With the closest 

 attention. Governor Honimel never could see any part of 

 the mouth out of water, though he has very often seen 

 the jaculator fish shoot a great many drops one after 

 another without leaving its place and fixed situation." 



When about to leave Washington to install the Fish 

 Commission exhibit at Chicago I learned that two ofiicers 

 of the U. S. Navy had seen the archer fish feeding in 

 Siam and obtained from them a- promise to lay before the 

 readers of Forest and Streajm the recollection of their 

 experience in this connection. The following letters 

 were kindly sent me with permission to publish them: 



"Civil Ekgineer's Office, United States Navy Yard, 

 Washington, D. C, April 10, lSm.~Dr. Tarleton H.Bean: 

 Dear Sir— Your favor of the 2d inst. asking for my expe- 

 rience with the archer fish in Siam was duly received. It 

 gives me much pleasiu-e to relate to you that in February, 

 1873, I was serving on board the U. S. S. Monocacy when 

 we made a visit to Bangkok, the capital of Siam. 



"While there we were invited by one who was then 

 called the Second King of Siam to visit his palace. He 

 took VIS into his firivate garden and stopped by a small 

 fish pond. In a few moments a man appeared with a 

 small twig which was completely covered with some kind 

 of small insect. The butt of this twig or branch was stuck 

 into the ground just at the edge of the pond and slightlv 

 tnchned over the water. 



"Immediately a small school of fish came to the surface 

 near the twig and began shooting drops of water from 

 then- noses at the insects. As the insects were struck with 

 a drop of water they fell into the pond and were devoured 

 by the fish. In a very short time the twig was cleared of 

 the insects, and, as I recollect, there seemed to be more 

 than one hundred of them. 



"I also noticed that when a fly tried to cross the pond 

 it would be chased by the fish, all of them sending drops 

 of water after it, and the fly was usually captured. The 

 drop of water seemed to go about six feet. 



"Tlie fish looked, as I remember, something like our 

 yellow perch, but darker, and about 5in. long. The water 

 they were in was, I think, fresh. The performance of 

 these fish on that occasion was one of the most interesting 

 things I have ever seen. 



"I have told this incident occasionally, but it seems to. 

 be skeptically received, probably being ponsidered a 



saflor's yarn, but it is absolutely true. Very truly yours, 

 F. W. DiOKiNS, Commander, U. S. Navy." 



"United States National Musetjm, Washington, 

 April 7.— Dr, Tarleton H. Bean: Dear Sir— In reply to 

 your letter of the 2d inst. , I send you the following brief 

 account of the archer fish, I regret I cannot give you a 

 more definite descripjtion of the physical proportions and 

 markings of this fish, but nineteen years has dulled my 

 memory. 



"The U. S. S. Monocacy was at Bangkok, the capitol 

 Of Siam, in February, 1874. During a reception given to 

 the officers of the ship by the Second or A^'ice King, His 

 Majesty conducted us through his palace and the exten- 

 sive garden surroimding it. In this garden was a pool of 

 clear water, but whether it was fresh, brackish or salt I 

 am unable to say, and in the pool was a large number of 

 the archer fish. When we arrived at the pool, one of the 

 King's attendants brought a bushy limb, two feet or more 

 long, and set one end of it in the groimd so that tlie 

 bushy portion overhung the water. Immediately from 

 aU parts o£ the pool came the fish, and on arriving near 



baby bird into a cage, and at whatever window we place 

 it the watchful parent quickly finds it. Day after day 

 she comes, sometimes with a wriggling and unhappy 

 worm or a buzzing horse-fly, then by way of dessert, as 

 we say, dainty white moths or slender mosquitoes are 

 brought. 



When I take the little one from the cage, as I some- 

 times do, and let it perch on my hand, it seems quite fear- 

 less, and often tucks its head under its win g in apparent 

 content. All night it is as quiet as a mouse, but early in 

 the morning wc hear sounds which tell us that parent and 

 child are giving each other greeting. In fact, as day by 

 day the faithful little ministrant flutters like a streak of 

 sunshine at our window, we feel our hearts gladdened, 

 and we remember that some have entertained angels un- 

 awares. B. T. 



FOX AND DEER PETS. 



I SAW the other day a statement that a certain person 

 had a tame fox and a fcajne deer, and the writer said this 



J- J, , — „ was a remai'kable fact, as these animals were the most 



the bush they commenced to bombard it by ejecting each ; difficult to be reduced to the dominion of man. Now, I 



a drop of water among the branches. We soon discovered 

 that this bombardment had a definite purpose, for the 

 branch was peopled by a great number of small ants, and 

 nearly every drop of water shot by the archer hit an ant 

 and knocked it off the l5ranch into the water where it was 

 instantly snapx^ed up by the expectant fish. As long as 

 any ants remained on the limb the firing was incessant; 

 but in a very few minutes aR commotion ceased. The last 

 ant had fallen with the last drop of water. 



"To show that the fish were sharpshooters and not firing 

 at random, the King caused some flies to be let loose over 

 the pool. This was an afl:air of wing shooting Avith a 

 bullet, and so well was it done that few of the flies reached 

 the shore safely. I do not mean to say that every fish 

 hit a fly every time he fired his drop, but he always came 



have seen several foxes as gentle as kittens, though I 

 think all were under the restraint of a chain. 



While driving in Allegany county, N. Y. , last summer, 

 I saw two little boys playing with a fox which was fast- 

 ened to a stake. The boys were clothed' very much as 

 the Lady Godiva, of fragrant memory, and were lying on 

 their bellies literally, rubbing the belly of Eeynard with 

 their hands, just as one plays with a kitten. The fox lay 

 on his back and permitted, and even invited, this human 

 attention, showing signs of satisfaction, licking the boys' 

 hands and nibbling their fingers and squirming about 

 with all four legs limp in the air. He would then jump 

 up and spring away to the length of his tether, but would 

 shortly return to the boys, who had not moved, and the 

 same performance would be repeated. It was a hot day 

 and the horse was permitted to enjoy the 

 shade, standing in the cool stream, while 

 the fox and the boys disported for my en- 

 joyment. 



When I was a boy of 12 living in western 

 Pennsylvania, my elder brother caught a 

 fawn about the time of wheat harvest. 

 There were no game laws then , and pre- 

 cious little game in consequence. 



Some one had killed a doe, and the little 

 spotted daughter, deprived of the maternal 

 font, came out of the woods into a wheat 

 field, where our old dog, Eover, found and 

 chased it. 



Rover, I suppose, was a mongrel, but he 

 was a close friend of mine, and I love his 

 memory still. He would chase anything 

 as long as it would run, but I don't think 

 he ever bit a living thing except a flea or 

 an unruly pig. WeU, he found the poor 

 fawn and chased it through the wheat, 

 and perhaps you can surmise what the 

 cradlers said on the morrow. There were 

 no reaping machines in those days. My 

 brother followed and found the dog lying 

 down, with tongue out, guarding the 

 corner of the fence, where the fawn had 

 lain down from sheer exhaustion. The 

 fence was too high to be jumped, and the 

 space between the rails too narrow to be 

 passed. When brother came up the fawn 

 tried to do both alternately, but was caught 

 by the tyrant man and brought home. 



My brother's clothing Avas not worth 

 mentioning when he got to the house, the 

 sharp hoofs of the frightened fawn having 

 stripped his raiment into ribbons. 



She was put in the barn, and by my 

 father's direction I went there, and opening 

 the door very softly, stepped in and set clown a basin 

 containing half a pint of milk, and looked at the animal 

 a few minutes without trying to approach her; but even 

 then she was so frightened she tried to get through the 

 cracks on the further side of the barn. 



I came away quietly and in about an hour father told 

 me to go out again with a little milk; to stand still and 

 look at the deer a short time, and if she had drank the 

 milk in the basin to replenish it and withdraw. Well, 

 the milk was gone, but the deer was frightened at sight 

 of me, though not so frantic as before. I poured in the 

 milk and came away. 



About an hour afterward father told me to repeat the 

 feeding in same manner. When I opened the door this 

 third time she came up and laid her httle nose confidingly 

 in my hand, and that is all the taming she ever had. 

 Thereafter she Avould follow me as faithfully as Rover 

 did; and dog and deer became fast friends. I was very 

 proud of her companionship, for she preferred mine to 

 any other human society, doubtless remembering the 

 liand that first fed her. 



Father, Avho was an old deer slayer, said that a deer, 

 especiaUy a young one, could be very easily tamed by 

 gentle kindness, and my limited experience shows that 

 he Avas right. 



I will not tell you of Fanny's tragic death, for even at 

 this distance of time it is painful to recall. 

 AuousTA, Me. KENN E. BeC. 



THE ARCHER FISH. ^Nattoai. Sizb. 



veiy near the mark, and as several wei-e usually after the 

 me fly the chanc s of escape for the latter were limited. 

 I "The fisb, as I remember it, was about 4in. long, flat, 

 (and of brilliant coloring. When he ejected the liquid at 

 his prey his mouth appeared to be slightly abovt^ the sux'- 

 face of the water. As the bush with the ants upon it was 

 jjlaced about a foot and a half above the surface of the 

 pool, I judge that was about the distance at which eft'ec- 

 tive shooting could be done by this fish, for if he were 

 able to hit at longer range Ave would probably have had a 

 further exhibition of his skUl. The ease with which an 

 ant was dislodged from the branch to which he was cling- 

 ing suggests the possibility that the drop that disabled 

 him might not be water, but a secretion from the mouth 

 or throat of the fish and of a viscous character. From 

 the personal interest taken by the King in giving us this 

 exhibition, it is probable that the archer fish is rare in 

 Siam. I have never seen it elsewhere. Very respect- 

 fully, C. H. White. 



Medical Inspector U. S. Navy. 



There remains to be said about the archer fish that it 

 is small, seldom exceeding 5 or 6in. in length. It is 

 brightly colored and bears hve dark bands, one of which 

 passes above and below the eye, Avhile the soft dorsal fin 

 is ornamented with an ocellated black spot encircled by a 

 narroxA- Avhite ring. Cantor states that the Malays con- 

 sider its llesh exceUent, and eat it both fresh and dried. 



T. H. B. 



Mother Love. 



What seemed to our household a curious and beautiful 

 thing happened one day last week. A tiny baby bird fell 

 with piercing shrieks into our kitchen doorway, and with- 

 out Avaiting for an invitation, hopped across the room and 

 perched on the wash-tubs. 



Its cries, which never ceased, and which seemed mar- 

 velous coming from such a tiny throat, Avere so penetrat- 

 ing that soon tlie family were assembled in the kitchen. 

 I put out my liand to the fluffy little creature, when to 

 my surprise it hopped on my finger and perched there. 



A cry from the cook made us turn, and in through 

 the window flew a beautiful yeUowbird. She circled 

 round above our heads, all the time uttering the shrillest 

 cries. We sat motionless, watching. AU at once she The depictions of form assumed by varieties of fish with- 

 darted toward me, alighted on my shoulder, ran down out any ascertained purpose being gained thereby seems 

 my arm, hopped to my hand and poked asquirming worm wonderful. Instance the starfish, the pipefish, the dog- 

 down the httle one's throat. Then aAvay she flew out of fish, the eyed torpedo, the skate. The egg cases of the 

 the window. skate are popularly caUed skate barrows, being Avonder- 



That wQ^ a week ago. Since then we have putj^the ' fully formed like a common, band barrow . Fishy. 



Curious Cullings. 



A run of salmon in the Nehalem River, Wash. , last fall 

 was so extensive that thousands were speared by the resi- 

 dents. 



The climbing perch is a native of Asia and possesses the 

 peculiar power of walking over dry land. The Anabas is 

 another fish remarkable for this. 



The sea hoi-se, another monstrositj'-, is gi-eatly like the 

 quadruped from which it takes its name, and the hkeness 

 is heightened by two apparent ears that project from the 

 sides of its head. And so on without hmit from the 

 wriggler in a mite of water to the mighty wriggler of the 

 deep. 



