Marvels of the Universe 919 
as a matter of fact, no group of animals contains more 
striking illustrations of the lengths which coloration may 
run to. The fishes which swarm amid coral-reefs, such, 
for example, as that which forms the Great Barrier Reef of 
Australia, afford some of the most remarkable illustrations 
of this fact. And it is evident that the vivid and bizarre 
combinations of colour which they present have been 
developed to harmonize, as it were, with their sur- 
roundings, for they live in a very riot of colour. The 
lowly creatures which have formed this enormous reef— 
itself one of the world’s marvels—are themselves gorgeous 
in hue, and the formidable bulwark they have raised 
affords a home for myriads of anemones, sponges, molluscs, 
star-fishes, and so on, which have become, so to speak, 
compelled to live up to the tone of their neighbours, if 
only to avoid being conspicuous! For, striking as any of 
Photo by] LW. Saville Kent. 
A Coral-fish in natural surroundings, show- 
ing its similarity to the coral amongst which 
it lives. 
these gaily-coloured animals may be when seen apart from their surroundings, they attract, 
individually, by no means the same amount of attention when seen amid their native surroundings. 
But not the least remarkable fact about this wonderful coloration is the extraordinary speed with 
which it can be changed, at least in many species ; for rapidity of change in this respect, indeed, 
the chameleon is a slow-coach. As a case in point, take that of one of the File-fishes, which, 
when taken out of the water was of a dark greenish-black, scribbled all over with fine yellow 
lines. 
But when turned into a white bucket 
of sea-water the yellow lines gradually ex- 
panded till the whole body was of a pale 
yellow 
But changes of coloration, more or less 
rapid, are almost universal among fishes, 
though less noticeable in those of more 
subdued colours. 
A reference to the accompanying 
coloured plate will do more to convince 
the reader of the barbaric splendours of 
these fishes than any verbal description. 
Take the central figure, which is one of 
the Scorpion-fishes. Even though it can- 
not be called beautiful, judged by human 
standards, it must be admitted that its 
coloration is handsome, while it is further 
remarkable in the excessive development 
of the breast-fins, which, from their great 
size, induced many to believe that this 
fish was a species of flying-fish. Such, 
however, is not the case. Like so many 
minutely speckled with black. 
of its relatives, it is a dangerous creature 
to handle, for the spines of the back-fin 
A CORAL-FISH. 
One of the most beautiful of the inhabitants of the coral-reef, 
are provided with poison glands and inflict 
most painful wounds. 
resplendent with blues and gold and green. The upper left-hand figure and the 
