6 SPORT IN NOETH AMEEICA. 



numerous audience does not seem to intimidate these 

 little performers. Is it not strange ? Is it not 

 almost incredible ? And yet nothing can be more 

 true. The fact to which I here bear witness has 

 been recorded in the Annals of the Academy of 

 Sciences. 



Another fish of which little is known is the 

 squirting fish, which is found in Texas, and which 

 can direct a drop of water upon its insect prey so as 

 to bring it down into the water, where it falls an 

 easy victim. This was how this curious fisji was first 

 discovered. A hunter was sleeping on the shore, 

 when he was awakened by large drops of water falling 

 upon his naked breast. On looking around, he 

 found to his astonishment that the sky was clear and 

 not a sign of rain. Whilst searching about for the 

 cause of the phenomenon, he received a fresh dis- 

 charge of water. Some flies were buzzing about him, 

 and one of them alighted on his breast, just at the 

 moment, he received a third jet. The Texan then 

 began to examine minutely some curious little fish, 

 of strange form and colour, which were swimming 

 about quite close to the shore. They were about 

 the size of large bleak, and when several of them 

 raised their heads out of the water he received a 

 fresh volley of drops. There could be no longer any 

 doubt about the fact, the water had been squirted at 

 him by the fish. The hunter being also a fisherman 

 and his hut not very far off, he soon obtained a net 



