Odd Fish 165 



developed into legs and enormous bulg- 

 ing eyes situated on the top of the head. 

 The latter, like those of the chameleon, 

 can be turned in all directions, and thus, 

 whilst one eye is watching the prey, 

 the other is on the look out for an 

 approaching enemy. By curling its very 

 muscular tail forwards and then suddenly 

 straightening it out the fish, when pur- 

 sued, is capable of making tremendous 

 jumps, covering a distance of four times 

 its own length. 



The climbing perch of India is another 

 fish that is not seriously incommodated 

 when finding itself on " terra firma," and 

 during the dry season has been observed 

 to travel long distances in search of 

 water. When threatened with drought 

 it has, in fact, been known to climb palm 

 trees with a view to discovering water in 

 the cavities of the branches, such a 

 climbing feat being made possible by the 

 fact that its gill covers are armed with 



