64 THE AQUARIUM. 



when I saw this creature of the water, which, with 

 its fin-like tail, and other appendages, was evidently 

 intended for a denizen of that element, quietly crawl 

 up a stick which was standing in the vessel, and, 

 emerging from the water, remain quietly attached to 

 the support it had selected, at some inches above the 

 surface of the element it thus so strangely and sud- 

 denly quitted. Its determination appeared the more 

 astonishing, as I soon perceived its finny tail, its legs, 

 and at last the whole of its skin, gradually hardened 

 and blackened, and it appeared to have shared the 

 natural fate of a fish out of water. After watching 

 it for some days, without perceiving any further 

 change, other matters occupied my attention, and I 

 entirely forgot the fate of my voracious pet, which 

 had met such an untimely end in consequence of 

 rashly leaving the proper sphere of its existence. 



" Some little time afterwards I was about to empty 

 the jar, and throw away the stick to which the dried 

 and hardened form of the victim to getting out of 

 bounds was still attached, when I thought I perceived 

 a division in the blackened skin of the back. As I- 

 saw that the opening widened, my curiosity became 

 again excited, and I determined to watch and see if 

 any other change would follow. Taking a book, 

 therefore, I sat down near the object of my attention. 

 I had not read many pages, turning frequently to- 

 wards the remains upon the stick, when suddenly 

 I shall never forget the surprise of the moment 

 when suddenly the opening of the back was much 

 widened, as by some sudden effort, and the greater 



