( 30 ) 



covered by water hecomn populated by fish after heavy 

 showers of rain. The pot-session of the means necessary for 

 locomotion on hind, conihiaed with those for direct aerial re- 

 sj)iration, frequently leads to the almost sudden appearance of 

 fish in inicxpected places, and has given rise to numerous 

 arguments and theories — amongst them, spontaneous genera- 

 tion, vivifioation of buried ova, migration, falling fi'ora the 

 clouds, &c. Amongst persons testifying to having witnessed the 

 migrations of fish is Mr. Morris, Government Agent at Trin- 

 coinalee, who in 1857 stated, — " as the tanks dry up, the fish 

 congregate in the little pools, till at last you find them hy 

 thousands in the moistest parts of thebeds, rolling in the blue 

 mud which is at that time about the consistence of thick gruel. 

 As the moisture further evaporates, the surface fish are left 

 uncovered, and they crawl away in search of fresh pools. In 

 one place I saw hundreds diverging iu every direction from 

 the tank they had just abandoned to a distance of fifty or 

 sixty yards, and still travelling onwards. In going this 

 distance, however, they must have used muscular exertion 

 sufficient to have taken them half a mile on level ground, 

 for at these places all tlie cattle and wild animals of the 

 neighboirrbood had lately come to drink, so that the surface 

 was everywhere indented with foot-marks, in addition to the 

 cracks in the surrounding baked mud, into Avhicli the fish 

 tumbled iu their progress. In those holes which were deep, 

 and the sides perpendicular, they remained to die, and were 

 carried olf ])y kites and crows. ]\Iy impression is that this 

 nugration takes place at night or before sunrise, for it Avas 

 only early in the morning that I have seen them progressing, 

 and I found those I brought away with me in chatties 

 appeared quiet by day, but managed to get out of the 

 chatties at night. Some escaped altogether, others Avere 

 trodden on and killed." The Anahas scandens is able to 

 travel short distances on land, and has been seen by many 

 Europeans whilst thus engaged. This migrating propensity 

 of some of the fresh-water fishes of the East was no secret 

 to the ancient Greeks, who frequently commented upon it, 

 and although the truth of their statements Avere impugned 

 by the Romans, tbe accuracy of their facts is above dispute. 

 But the migrations of fislies during the rains is, perhaps, 

 Avhat is of most consequence in fisheries. In fields irrigated 

 from rivers or tanks, breeding-fish swarm up all Avater-courses 

 for the purpose of depositing their ova, and should be 

 protected as much as possible. As regards the marine 

 fish which ascend rivers, as the hilsa (para. XXXVIII), the 



