162 Notice in regard to the Jaculator Fish. 



sanguiferous system in general *. Should the inference prove 

 correct, and its truth established by observation, these animals, 

 in their mature state, will no longer be an anomaly in the classi- 

 fication of reptiles, on account of their heart ; and they will still 

 continue as a link connecting the reptiles with fishes, by the pe- 

 culiarities of their respiratory organs in the first stage of their 

 existence. 



Corfu, July 2. 1825. 



Notice in regard to the Jaculator Fish of Java^ or Chatodon 

 rostratum, Lin. By James Mitchell, Esq. Surgeon, 

 II. N. Communicated by the Author. 



W HiLST residing in the Island of Java, in December 1822, I 

 heard of an extraordinary species of fish, in the possession of 

 a Javanese Chief, who lived within a mile of the town of Ba- 

 tavia. 



Accordingly I went to see it, in company with Mr John- 

 son, the commander of the ship Guildford, in which I was a 

 passenger, and with an interpreter. 



On our arrival at the chief's villa, we were treated by him 

 with great courtesy. After conversing with him some time he 

 permitted us to visit his gardens to see these fish, upon which 

 he placed a high value, and would on no account part with one 

 of them. 



The fish were placed in a small circular pond, from the centre 

 of which projected a pole upwards of two feet in height. At 

 the top of this pole were inserted small pieces of wood, sharp 

 pointed, and on each of these were placed insects of the beetle 

 tribe. The placing of this pole and insects by the slaves had 

 disturbed the tranquillity of the fish, so we had to wait some con- 

 siderable time before they began their operations ; but this de- 

 lay was amply recompensed by the amusement they afterwards 

 afforded us. When all had been tranquil for a long time, they 



• It is a mistaken notion that the puhnonary arteries in the toad and 

 frog are derived from the aorta. "When given off from the heart, and a little 

 above it, the pulmonary arteries are closely attached to the aorta, so as not 

 to be distinguishable till they quit their juxtaposition ; and hence probably 

 the error in question originated. 



