GILL ON THE GOURAML 723 



fortunate, all liaviiig died at Suez (18G5, 357, 425, 549) ; equally unsuc- 

 cessful were consignments made by x\I. Autard de Bragard (18G5, 488 ; 

 186G, 485-487). In the last case, we are told by M. Bertbelin, who took 

 charge of them, twenty had been selected the ev^ening before tlie depart- 

 ure of the vessel, those selected being about three inches; these were 

 placed in the vessel in a zinc vase, in a dark place, and the water was 

 renewed every day with ri vrer- water ; but, in spite of all, the fisiies soon 

 died, two on the day after leaving port, twelve in the night of the sec- 

 ond or third day, and two on the next succeeding one, while the four 

 remaining were transferred into a porcelain vase and lived a number of 

 days, (from the 18th to the 30th of May,) but finally succumbed (to the 

 excessive beat, it was supposed) in the harbor of Aden (180G, 485, 487, 

 403, 5G9). M. Berthelin added suggestions for future guidance, and 

 recommended Egypt as an intermediate station for the acclimatization 

 of the gourami (18()G, 598). 



Again, in 18i>7, gouramis were brought living into France. First, M. 

 Berthelin and M. Grandidier, in May, arrived at Marseilles with sixteen 

 fishes out of an original lot of one hurulred ; six, however, soon died, 

 and the rest followed some time after (1867, 441) ; and again M. AutartI 

 de Bragard was successful, reaching Marseilles (near the end of July) 

 with five fishes out of twelve with which he embarked at Mauritius, and 

 these were even received in Paris, and confided (July 17) to the care of 

 M. Dnmeril in order to be kept in the reptile house of the Museum of 

 Natural History (18G7, 550-552). These thrived for some time (18G7,. 

 640), and until October, when on account of the fall of the temperature, 

 they suddenly succumbed — one on the 4th, two on the 5th, and the last 

 two on the Gth. The temperature of the water, nevertheless, had not 

 declined lower than 13° centigrade (55.40 Fahrenheit) ; and that cold 

 was the cause of death was rendered evident by the sluggishness of the 

 fishes near this temperature, and their revival when warmer water was 

 injected, to be again succeeded by de[)ression when the temperature- 

 again fell (1868, 352). 



An attempt was also made from another quarter to give France th& 

 coveted fish. M. Henry Rozy sent from Bantam, in the island of Java,, 

 fifteen gouramis, and also the branchlets of a tree containing nests of 

 the fish ; eleven of the fishes ;v^ere received at Marseilles alive, having 

 made the long voyage without apparent detriment, but on the night of 

 their arrival, the cold being too great for them, they died ; nothing has- 

 been recorded as to the fate of the eggs (*1871, 64G). 



Invoices of gouramis appi-ar to have been also received, within the 

 last year or two, by M. Pierre Carbonnier; but a failure of reception of 

 the numbers of the " Bulletin de la Societe d' acclimatation," containing 

 the accounts, prevents us from giving full information at this time. Mr.. 

 Carbonnier, however, seems to have had unusual success in keeping his 

 fishes alive. In August, twenty-two specimens of anabas and six gou- 

 ramis were brought from Calcutta to Galles by M. Paul Carbonnier, and 



