FISH THAT ANGLES FOR OTHERS

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7106, 15 March 1933, Page 10

FISH THAT ANGLES FOR OTHERS

ryHIE rarest fish in the London JL Zoo, or any other aquarium, arrived recently. It is an Angler fish—with its head on! Thousands are for sale in London alone as "rock salmon,” but the whole fish is seldom seen and never brought ashore alive. The “Angler fish,” as it is called more scientifically, has a gigantic head with a scnii-circular mouth. On the fish’s back are long flexible rods with “lures” at their tips, and these ‘“waggle” till a small fish tries to swallow one. Instantly the rod bends over toward the huge mouth, rimmed with long hooked teeth—and the small fish is “basketed.” There is no spotting the Angler before it is too late, for the monster is the same colour as the rocks, and decorated with imitation seaweeds. The Zoo Angler is about two feet long. The reason why few landsmen have seen an Angler "compleat” is that the head is quite half the entire bulk, and unless removed on board the trawler, is so much useless ballast.