AMPHIBIOUS CAT-FISH.

The curious cat-fishes, Doras, and Callichthys, are noted overland travelers. In the dry seasons the streams in which the latter is found run low, when a remarkable scene is enacted; the entire body of fish start overland, a compulsory migration, but with unerring instinct they head for distant water. At times the column that is struggling through the grass, now erect, now on their sides, comes to a halt, and some of the fish burrow, as if with the intent of finding water below the surface. Birds and other animals prey upon them, but eventually, they reach water, not having been affected by their stay on dry land. (Plate VIII.)

Another cat-fish, found in South American streams, seems also at home out of water. Voyagers have frequently observed them floating down the streams upon submerged logs, upon which they had crawled after the manner of frogs. In appearance they are extremely striking, the head seemingly ornamented with an array of writhing snakes, in reality the whiskers or feelers of the Tangsa.

During the dry season of Africa and South America, the streams in which the Dipnoi, or lung-fishes live are often dry, and at the first approach of what would seem a dire calamity` the fishes retreat to the bottom, forming a cell in which they pass months in a state resembling hibernation. The cases or nests have been sent to Europe in trunks and the fishes then soaked out. (Plate IX.)

Though not amphibious in their habits, there are a number of fishes that obtain their food out of the water; such is the archer fish, Toxotes, whose extended lower jaw seems perfectly adapted for such work, and, swimming along shore, if the

fish observes an insect it rises instantly and ejects a drop of water with unerring aim three or four feet, bringing the insect to the surface, where it is snapped up by the finny marksman.

The long-beaked Chaetodon obtains much of its food in a similar manner, the long bill serving to guide the drop, thus being a veritable blow-gun. These fishes are often kept in aquariums in the East, and so tamed that they will shoot insects held in the hands of their owners over the water.

eyes

The Anableps, a South American fish, obtains much of its food upon the surface of the water, and to further this purpose, has that are so divided that the fish possesses apparently four, owing to the cornea and iris being divided by transverse bands, so that the two pupils are observed upon each side, while the other parts of the eye are single. From this peculiarity they are known on the rivers of Guiana as four-eyed fish; but the modification is undoubtedly to enable them to secure prey upon the surface, their movements being much like those of a frog leaping along upon the surface partly out of the water, so that they would be taken by the casual observer for these animals.

CHAPTER IV.

THE METEORS OF THE SEA.

ONE of the most fascinating themes connected with our knowledge of the ocean world is that bearing upon its illumination. Until quite recently it has been thought that animal life could not exist in the abyssal depths of the sea, but recent American and European expeditions have shown that this is not the case, and this obscure region, that was supposed to be the most desolate spot on the habitable globe, is found teeming with life, the numerous forms adapted by peculiar modifications of structure to their life in a world over which roll perhaps four or five miles of water, where the temperature is just above freezing, and where the pressure amounts to two or three tons to the square inch of surface.

When considering the conditions of such a life, we wonder how the inhabitants of this dark region see to move about, and whether nature has made any provision for their wants. In answer we need only visit the seashore, and there we shall find that the old ocean instead of being wrapped in darkness, has its moons, suns, and stars of living lights that illuminate the greater or less depths with their splendors. Many of them are the common objects of the seaside, and in our wanderings on summer nights may always be observed, especially on rocky coasts where the beauties of the phosphorescent jelly-fishes are to be seen. The dark surges come thundering on in tidal measure, laden with the secrets of the sea; the crest seemingly ignites,

combing, gleaming on the rise far down the line, and then with sullen roar is hurled a mass of living light upon the sands, trickling back in rills of molten gold only to storm the breach again and again.

On the New England coast these displays of phosphorescent phenomena are particularly noticeable. When

"The day is done, and the darkness

Falls from the wings of night,"

the phantoms of this world of light spring into existence, changing the bosom of the ocean to a scene of weird revelry. Every drop of water seems a gleam of light; and the brown kelps and sea-weeds that hang upon the rocks drip with liquid fire. Ahead of our boat as we slowly scull along, waves of light appear; while beneath, moons and stars move here and there, revolving and rising in graceful curves with gentle undulation. Now swift flashes, coming from the gloom beyond, dart across the field, leaving a brilliant nebulous train behind.

The scene as the waves break upon the rocks is one of dazzling splendor. At Spouting Horn, Nahant, the water forced through a natural crevice in the overhanging crag, is thrown high in the air; for a moment it hangs suspended—a luminous mist, then settles upon the grim battlements, bathing them in a warm lambent light that winds its way in gleaming rivulets to the sea. We dip our scoop-net into the water; the wish of old King Midas seems here fulfilled. The meshes become a sheeny web of golden fabric, and in the catch are myriads of gleaming, living creatures, the veritable lamps of the sea.

They are Medusae, jelly-fishes, if you will; unsightly objects when stranded upon the shore, but at night possessed of a loveliness peculiarly their own. Large forms of Aurelia and Cyanea

are striking objects as they glide along, surrounded by a halo of golden greenish light.

The Cyanea is a giant of its kind, a fiery comet moving in and out among the lesser constellations. One of these huge jellies, observed near Nantucket, from the mast of a vessel, was seen swimming lazily along, its disk surrounded by a luminous halo, fifteen feet in diameter, while the train of gleaming tentacles stretched away two hundred feet or more.

One of the most interesting exhibitions of the light of a jellyfish was witnessed by Mr. Telfair in 1840, near Bombay. The natives had reported at various times that a gigantic flaming monster had been seen in the sea, and some said that they had observed it in the sky many years before-evidently meaning a comet. Finally Mr. Telfair himself saw the monster that proved to be a jelly-fish of enormous dimensions. Its tentacles at night seemed a fiery train over three hundred feet in length, presenting a dazzling spectacle to those who rowed over it; each tentacle appeared like a red-hot wire, gleaming with a brilliant light, while the body resembled an enormous incandescent sphere throwing out a light for many feet about it. The jelly finally ran ashore upon the beach, or was washed in, where many of the natives watched it, hoping to obtain its skeleton, which it is needless to say they failed to find. For several days after it stranded it emitted so strong a light at night that it was visible for a great distance, and illuminated the forms and faces of those who stood about with great brilliancy. It was estimated to weigh, including all the tentacles, two tons, and was the largest invertebrate animal ever seen. In the daytime the great semitransparent disk of the Cyanea with its flexible lobed margin is a dark reddish-brown color, while the tentacles, bristling with lasso-cells and spiral darts, are yellow, purple, brown or pink.