Chut, mv. Respiration of Ophiocepkalida. L83 



drying rivers and ponds, sestivating there through the drought till 

 tlu> next ruins release them. They have been dug alive out of the 

 sun-burnt mud. 



The Ophiocephalus gacua, which 1 have mentioned above 

 tough bait, is one of tliis family, therefore easy to keep alive in a 

 can, ami uot to be picketed to the bottom. 



As the Murral can ordinarily be taken home alive, the flesh 

 remains firm. 



Tin- Mimal will thrive in ponds, and at various altitudes, so 

 you can easily stuck a pond if yon desire, but they will speedily 

 depopulate it of other sorts. The natives frequently put them into 

 their wells, from which they can take them fresh and fresh as they 

 want them. 



The Murral, unlike most fish, exhibits parental affection 

 towards its young, keeping them together in a shoal, and 

 swimming under them, and attacking anything that comes near 

 them. This it does till they are about 3 inches long, when it 

 turns on and eats them itself, if they do not disperse. 



The Murral, 1 have said, is similar in many respects to the pike. 

 I must be allowed, therefore, to tell here a little story of a pike, a 

 story that will bear re-telling, and will serve to enliven the 

 dulness of my page. I quote it from Scrope's " Nights and Days of 

 Salmon Railing," a work that is, I believe, out of print, hence 1 

 snatch the .-tory from oblivion: — 



"A friend of mine (sacred be his name) of great repute for his 

 " dexterity w itli the rod, and celebrated for his agreeable and amiable 

 " qualities, as well as for his intelligence and various accomplishments, 

 "had this poetical facility for seeing what really did not exist in 

 "substance. A curious instance of this popular talent occurred at a 

 " friend's house in the country with whom be was staying. There 

 '"was a tine piece of water in the park, well stored with fish, where he 

 " used to spend the greater part of the morning, rod in hand ; so that 

 " his perseverance excited considerable admiration from the host, as 

 " well as from his guests. Not having been very successful, his 

 " ardour at length began to flag. It was a pity, for it is a pleasant 

 " thing to be excited. What was to be done? You shall sec. A 

 "report was raised that there was an enormous pike seen in the 

 " water, about the length of a decent sized alligator. He was said to 

 "have maimed a full grown swan, and destroyed two cygnets, besides 



