Identifier: popularhistoryof00sowe (find matches)
Title: Popular history of the aquarium of marine and fresh-water animals and plants
Year: 1857 (1850s)
Authors: Sowerby, George Brettingham, 1788-1854
Subjects: Aquariums Marine biology Freshwater biology
Publisher: London : Lovell Reeve
Contributing Library: MBLWHOI Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MBLWHOI Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
f seekingprey. It is very remarkable for the changes that constantlytake place in its colours, like those of a Chameleon, butmore decided. Sometimes, it is of a general blackish hue,clouded with darker patches. Sometimes, it is pale brownwith dark and white spots. Possibly this is connected withthe animals feelings^ for he is observed to become dark-est when most excited; and, when devouring a victim,lours over him ^^ black as night. The ventral fins of this fish are united so as to form anoval sucking disc. It enables the fish to seize and retaina hold on surfaces which he is not inclined to relinquish forthe moment. He adheres, by means of this sucker, topieces of rock and sides of the tank. I think he uses itpartly in crawling, as he sometimes is observed to do, overperpendicular and diagonal surfaces. MUGIL CHELO. The habits of the Grey Mullet are the reverse of thepreceding, for, while the latter generally remain quietlynear the bottom of the tank, the former afiects the surface,
Text Appearing After Image:
3 5 FISHES. 285 and rarely descends. The Mullets are very hardy, livingsometimes uninjured when other animals die from impurityin the water. Keeping near the surface, which becomesbetter aerated than lower down, and frequently takingmouthfulls of air by putting their noses out of water, theykeep themselves supplied with what proportions of the dif-ferent gases are most conducive to their health. Theirrestless activity in swimming to and fro, showing off theirbright silvery stripes, renders them pretty and lively tenantsof their watery cage. Lepidogaster bimaculatus. Another little tadpole-shaped fish, commonly known asthe Tivo Spotted Sit,cl-er, w^iich, like the Goby, has itsventral fins united in a sucking disc. It is prettily co-loured with pale red, with a deep red spot on each side.It does not poise its body steadily in the water, nor swimwith the gliding motion of other fishes, but first adheringto one surface, and staying there for a short time, suddenlydarts a little way off an

Note About Images