AMERICAN CAT-FISH GOURAMI. 369 



where they are caught by boys with worm bait, and who 

 call them punkiu seeds or kivers. 



That sun-fish would do very well in any of our 

 ordinary ponds I feel convinced, and I trust that some 

 of om* countrymen returning from America may be kind 

 enough to bring some over. Small specimens should be 

 chosen, and they should be carried in a large glass 

 carboy and air repeatedly pumped into them with a 

 pair of bellows ; if the weather is hot add ice frequently. 



CAT-FISH. 



Another fish that would do well in this country is the 

 Cat-fish {Pimeludus). It is a species of Silurus, also 

 called the Bullhead and Bull-pout. They are found in 

 all the waters of North America. In some places it is 

 esteemed a great delicacy, equal to an eel. 



He is a greedy biter at a bait ; he cannot be very 

 difficult to carry, and the transport should be managed 

 in the same way as the sun-fish. 



GOURAMI. 



[Osphrome7ii(s oJj'ax.) 



The Gourami is a freshwater fish, whose origin is in 

 Cochin China, whence it has been imported successively 

 to Penang, Malacca, Mauritius, Eeunion, Cayenne. 

 It belongs to the family of LabyrintJddes. It has a 

 labyrinthiform apparatus connected with the gills, 

 which allows it to keep in a reservoir a certain quantity 

 of water. 



In warmish water, and with proper food and space, 

 it grows quickly ; thus a fish at one year old, being 4in., 

 would grow to 8in. in the third year. 



Gouramis inhabit the lakes and ponds of Cochin 



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