CATCHING FISH WITH INVISIBLE RAYS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 82, 3 October 1936, Page 29

CATCHING FISH WITH INVISIBLE RAYS

Some twentieth century wizards have beSft qatching nsh with invisible rays, and they believe that the ultra-violet lamp has a great future in the fishing industry. One of them is Dr. William Beebe/ of the New York Zoological Society, who has "been describing his deep-sea work near Bermuda. He is the maa who in 1934 descended in a diving globe half a mile into the ocean depths. He has been the leader of a tropical research expedition to explore deep-sea fauna (says the "Daily Express"). Nonsuch Island was their base, and fhey made an astonishing discovery while using an ultra-violet lamp to distinguish phosphorescent organisms.

When watching how the eyes, teeth, and eye-pouches of certain species shine, and how the 10 tiny tail-lights of an eel with a huge mouth glow brilliantly when in contact with the ray, ttfe scientists noticed the great radiating power of the lamp. A thin ray caused a piece of willemite 1300 ft away to give off light, and they then discovered Its strange influence over creatures of.»*he deep.

' To attract more fish, such as herrings, anchovii*, sardines, and other' small fry. they hung an ordinary 230-watt electric lamp with n tin reflector above the water on moonless nights. Deeper down they could see swarms of octopus and cuttlefish, and below them spiny fish-and other strange creatures lurking

for their prey. On one such night they put out the light and turned on the invisible ray, with a truly amazing effect. It was as if a wizard had cast a spell, for immediately all the fry, which had been scattered in small groups iri the illuminated zone, showed great excitement and shot through the water into the eight-inch cylinder of the invisible ray until they were packed like sardines. . ■ ,

There was the same result each time the experiment was made. If the ray was left on for some minutes they formed into strata with masses of big and little fish in separate layers, while the top part was filled with almost transient larvae.

When he spread a net under the sphere of light given out by the ordinary ligbt Dr. Beebe caught only two fish, but when he turned on the invisible rays for 30 seconds he caught 400. These he placed in a- bath tub, and by means of the rays moved them about at will in . various directions. Wherever the ray moved the fish followed, as if spellbound.

Dr. Beebe hopes to make another expedition with an ultra-violet lamp four times as strong. Not only does he expect to attract many rare specimens from the. depths, but he hopes to prove that the invisible ray can be of mv mense assistance to the tollers of the deep.