252 THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN. 



cover. He adds, that from the time he first noticed 

 this circumstance, about one month had elapsed, 

 when one day he saw numerous minute fishes close 

 to the margin of the grass, on the outer side of 

 which the parent fishes continued to pass to and 

 fro. 



The food of fish is very various, but they may 

 generally be considered as camiverous animals. 

 They have different and curious modes of procur- 

 ing it. The eel, for instance, will twist its tail 

 round a rush, or the root of a tree in a rapid 

 stream, and suffering itself to be moved backwards 

 and forwards by the action of the water, will seize 

 its prey in this position. Pike hide themselves 

 under weeds, or stumps of trees, and dart out and 

 seize the smaller fish. Other sorts will disturb the 

 mud by rolling on it, and then feed on the insects 

 which were concealed under it. But perhaps the 

 most curious fact in regard to the mode in which a 

 peculiar fish procures its food, is to be found in the 

 habits of the chaetodon, of the East Indies. The 

 upper jaw of this fish ends in a tube, through which 

 it is enabled to throw water upon the insects which 

 settle upon aquatic plants, so that they fall into it, 

 and thus become its prey. There is also a small 

 fish found in great numbers in the rivers of the 

 Burmese empire, which, on being taken out of the 

 water, has the power of blowing itself up to the 

 shape of a small round ball, but its original 



