Chap. XII. 
FISHES. 
23 
Cental characters, the males originally varied, with their 
'’aviations transmitted to the same sex, and accumulated 
through sexual selection by attracting or exciting the 
females. In many cases, however, such characters have 
bee u transferred, either partially or completely, to the 
females. In other cases, again, both sexes have been 
Coloured alike for the sake of protection; but in no 
instance does it appear that the female alone has had 
her colours or other characters specially modified lor 
this purpose. 
-t he last point which need be noticed is that in many 
Parts of the world fishes are known to make peculiar 
Noises, which are described in some cases as being 
Musical. Very little has been ascertained with respect 
to the means by which such sounds are produced, and 
evei1 less about their purpose. The drumming of the 
Urubrinas in the European seas is said to be audible 
h°in a depth of twenty fathoms. The fishermen ol 
Rochelle assert “ that the males alone make the noise 
during the spawning-time; and that it is possible by 
“ imitating it, to take them without bait.” 37 If this 
statement is trustworthy, we have an instance in this, 
the lowest class of the Vertebrata, of what we shall 
find prevailing throughout the other vertebrate classes, 
au 'l which prevails, as we have already seen, with 
insects and spiders ; namely, that vocal and instru- 
mental sounds so commonly serve as a love-call or as 
a love-charm, that the power of producing them was 
probably first developed in connection with the propa- 
gation of the species. 
37 Thu Rev. C. Kingsley, in ‘Nature,’ May, 1870, p. i0. 
