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♦ KNOWLEDGE * 



IMay 11, 1883. 





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THE ARCHER FISH. 



THE archer fish ITaxotfs Jacithilor) belongs to a group 

 or sub-family of the scale-finned fishes (Sijnanii/i'nii/es), 

 so-called because the " vertical fins are more or less densely 

 covered with small scales." The principal characteristic of 

 this fish is the elongated lower jaw. The inhabitants of 

 Java, its native island, keep tliesc fish in their houses as 

 pets. They are sometimes twenty centimetres in length. 



The colouring of the upper part of the fish is greenish-gray, 

 the under part silvery ; there are four short wide bands 

 across the back, dark brown, with a sliade of green. 



With few exceptions, all of the scale-finned fishes are 

 found in the upper stratum of the water and near the 

 shore ; some of them descend into the ocean, and others 

 occasionally wander out into the sea, following ships for 

 their refuse, or chasing other prey. Most of them, espe- 

 cially the beautifully coloured species, belonging to tliis 



