ICIITIIYOLOGV. i85 



the watcr-broathci-s, as the carps, and the majority of fisli in general, resjuration is 

 ctfeeted by means of the gills, the aeration ot tlie blood being cft'ected in them by 

 contact with the air held in suspension in the water, whence the well-known necessity 

 of constantly changing the water wherein fish are kept, and any obstruction to the free 

 action of the gills, as a bandage over them, or an excess of mud suddenly added (as 

 during freshes) or noxious solutions, rapidly induces asphyxia, and the fishes die 

 snftocated. Air-breathers, on the contrary, do not seem to be much inconvenienced 

 by their gills being closed, if they are allowed to come to the surface and inspire air 

 directly by their mouths, but, on the contrary, soon die of suffocation, though their 

 gills are left free to act, unless they are also allowed access to the air as well. Among 

 these air-breathers are the Aiiabas scanilcm, or climbing perch, and the species of 

 the Acanthojiterygian genera Poli/nranihus, Trichoiiader, and Ophiocephaliis, all 

 of which possess a cavity above the gills (analogous to the lung chamber in some 

 niolhisks) for the reception and storing of air for resjiiratory purposes. "In Burma," 

 says Dr. Day, "the tishermen ap]iear to be practically aci|iiainted with the fact of 

 some fish, especially Ophiovephaiidie, being air-breatlicrs, as they are in the habit 

 of removing the water from a tank and covering the mud with a cloth for two or 

 three days, after which the cloth is removed and the dead or half- suffocated fish 

 picked up out of the mud." 



The .shape and modifications of the air-vessel afford a most interesting subject for 

 study, whether it is free, or encased wholly or partially in bone, and a series of 

 preparations of this organ, showing its varied form, would be equally vahiablo and 

 interesting, and one by no means difficult in a country like Burma to make. Of 

 accessory breathing organs Dr. Day thus writes, " In some of the siluroids there exists 

 an accessory breathing apparatus ; thus the Clarim possesses a dendritic one on the 

 convex side of the second and fourth brancliife, which has much the appearance of 

 a bunch of red stick coral ; this is received into a cavity posterior to that existing 

 solely for the gills. In the Sdccobrnnchus, or scorpion-fish, a long air-vessel of a 

 pulmonic character (in addition to the air-vessel proper, which is inclosed in bone) 

 extends throughout the length of the muscles of the back, and anteriorly o[ions into 

 the gill-cavity. 



In the eel-like Si/nohrancJiidrr, the Aiiiphijnious cuiliia has a pulmonic sac for the 

 reception of air, connected with the gill-cavity." 



These curious contrivances, so wholly unknown to most people, go far to explain 

 the sudden appearance of fish after rain, in dried-up ponds, as air-breathing fi.sh, as 

 the water dries up, bury themselves in the mud and ffi.stivate in a torpid condition 

 beneath the hard surface cru.st, and in India fish are often thus dug up by villagers 

 from the dried-up beds of tanks. This probably is the most common cause for tho 

 anonudous appearance of fish after rain ; but there arc two others. Some fi.sh, as the 

 Anabas scamleas and some eels, and perhaps more fish than we are aware of, will 

 travel over damp grass or tlirough moist ditches, during the night, from one piece of 

 water to another, or in search of a more suitable residence, and may in doing so be 

 surprised by daylight in queer places. On this migratory instinct Dr. Day observes 

 {I.e. 30), " This migratory propensity of some of the fishes of the East was no secret 

 to the ancient Greeks, who frequently commented upon it, and although the truth of 

 their statements was impugnecl by tho Ilomans, the accuracy of their facts is above 

 dispute." Lastly, real showers of fish too may be actually produced by a whirlwind or 

 waterspout, sucking up tho contents of a pond or stream, and distributing it broadcast 

 in some distant spot. 



In the last edition of this work. Dr. Mason enumerated the following fish, viz. : 

 Large scaled fish 30, small scaled 15, carp 45, flat fish, herrings and cat fish 51, 

 cartilaginous fish 9, tortoise fish 4, and eels 9 — in all 1C3 .species. The present list, 

 compiled from that splendid contribution to our knowledge of this subject. Dr. Day's 

 ' Pishes of India,' cmbr.ices over 470 species. But even this larger addition to the fishes 

 of Burma is far from exhaustive, as the great majority of fish from the Eastern seas 

 are unquestionably found on the coast, but I have extracted few from Dr. Day's 

 work save those which are stated in it or in his lUports to have been captured in 

 Burmese waters. 



