FISHES AND FISHING. ' 305 



(see Willougliby, p. 260 and 309. tab. v. 4,) for goats; 

 which, when the animals are driven into to refresh 

 and cool them, these fish tumultuously throng and 

 gambol amongst the goats. 



The fishermen of that period, clothed in a goat 

 skin, with the horns on their heads, walked into the 

 water ; the fish crowded around, they baited with 

 goat's fat and flesh incorporated with flour, and the 

 fishermen endeavour to take every one of the shoal ; 

 but should they not have sufficient rapidity of motion, 

 and dexterity to jerk the fish up and instantly cast it 

 ashore, the other fish discover the cheat, and instantly 

 leave the spot, nor will even real goats tempt them to 

 return. The fish are large, and the rods and lines 

 must be stout. Does not this caution of the fish 

 appear very like a reasoning faculty ? 



This fish, it appears, has the power of moving about 

 when out of its native element, and might possibly 

 get on the branches of trees hanging into the water. 

 There is no known fish which can exist so long with- 

 out water, as they are brought to Calcutta market, 

 and are alive in dry earthen pots at the end of five or 

 six days. 



This is one of the fishes supposed to fall with rain 

 from the clouds, which is no doubt erroneous, for 

 during the dry season the waters it inhabits are re- 

 duced by evaporation, and it exhausts its food, when 



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