Published Semi-Monthly at the Hew York Aquarium, cor. 35th Street and Broadway 
VOL. 1. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8, 1876. NO. 3. 
CURIOUS FISHES. 
One of the most wonderful as well as inter¬ 
esting circumstances that we find in the great 
study of Nature, is the perfect adaptation of all 
animal life to place and circumstance, and in¬ 
vestigations into their most perfect arrangements 
serve to show more plainly than words the wis¬ 
dom of the great,Architect. The man of let- 
EDA ™ ED DptWdAvuhh 
confronted with these living monuments of pow¬ 
er that mind does exist in nature ; and we, and 
all life, are but following the dictates of some 
vast power that we know not. This is the.great 
object of the Aquarium. The wonderful ani¬ 
mals of the sea that are found there are living 
sermons preached to the masses, and cannot fail 
to produce an effect that will give a new and 
fresh impetus to our great educational systems. 
In many of the tanks fishes are seen of the 
most unique pattern, and why they are so, seems 
a hard question to answer ; but every peculiarity 
has its purpose. Some are colored and framed 
to imitate the bottom, thus defending themselves, 
element; and more wonderful than all we find 
them walking over the dry land as if to the 
manor born. 
One of the most interesting fishes in the 
small tank is the Porcupine Fish—a curious, 
oval-shaped little fellow, covered with sharp 
bony armor, while the tail dwindles off, covered 
with soft, minute scales, in strange contrast to 
the former, and entirely defenceless. They are 
extremely hard to keep in confinement, and a 
continued supply is required, and at times hard 
to get. 
The Sea Raven, here figured, and round in 
tank fa, is another that claims the name of curi¬ 
ous., and .certainit, iuiag'ma- 
tion fails to create a more marvelous and uncan¬ 
ny combination of flesh. Its resemblance to an 
old, moss-covered stone is striking, and herein 
lies its defence ; as the fish that would devour 
it pass it by and the smaller fry that venture near, 
thinking the barbies of flesh sea weed, are in 
turn gobbled up. They occur in great variety 
on the New England coast, and vary in color 
from bright yellow to a deep red. 
In due season numerous fishes will be added 
to the Aquarium that are never found in our 
waters, and among them the Plakat of Siam. 
This strange little creature is domesticated by 
the natives, and is a great favorite, being kept in 
jars and fed noon the larvae of mosquitoes. 
PORCUPINE FISH. 
others are provided with inducements to coax 
the smaller fry , who, if they saw their huge 
enemy, could easily escape. Again, we find them 
provided with organs with which they procure 
food from the land without leaving their native 
spines, and in fact a veritable swimming pin 
cushion. In the warm waters of the Gulf of 
Mexico they grow to a larger size, and present 
a remarkable analogy to their terrestrial name¬ 
sake. The peculiar spines can be seen in the 
cut, and when taken from the water and puffed 
up with air it certainly can defy handling if 
nothing more. Modesty seems to be its promi¬ 
nent feature, as it hides away in the sea-weed at 
the top of the tank, and only descends when 
called to attend to gastronomic duties. They 
are easily tamed, and some years ago I pos¬ 
sessed three ol them, or rather, knew where to 
find them, daily, and taught them to swim 
through my fingers, and other tricks of simple 
nature. 
The Sea Swallow, here illustrated, be¬ 
longs to the peculiar family of Gurnards. 
The pectoral or side fins are developed to 
a wondrous length, and decked with bluish 
iridescent spots that flash and glisten in the sun¬ 
light like diamonds, as they skip over the crest¬ 
ing wave. The head is curiously encased in a 
SEA RAVEN. 
They are made quite a source of revenue on ac¬ 
count of their fighting propensities, which give 
an ample opportunity for a wager. When the 
fish is in a quiet state, with fins at rest, the dull 
colors present nothing remarkable, but if two 
