BRIEF NOTES ON FISHES. 395 



zontal position, and at more or less of an angle in what- 

 ever position may be assumed. The ventral fins, like- 

 wise stiff and strongly rayed, are not much used when 

 the fish is swimming, but as soon as the fish comes to a 

 rest they are spread out, and, with the pectoral fins now 

 motionless and stiff, they form four " legs " that support 

 the body, just as is the. case with a salamander. In- 

 deed, the likeness goes further, and the body is frequent- 

 ly curved when at rest, and remains so, the head being 

 turned to the right or left, and the tail in the opposite di- 

 rection. ISTo one can fail to see the salamandrine ap- 

 pearance of this fish when it assumes such a position. 



Now, if we follow up the habits of this fish, are there 

 any other un-fish-like habits to be seen ? Knowing its 

 predilection for thick and muddy waters, its hibernating, 

 and ability to withstand prolonged exposure to the atmos- 

 phere, as already described, indications of habits suggest- 

 ive of a semi-aquatic life may reasonably be looked for. 

 The one peculiarity, other than those mentioned, that I 

 have noticed, is this : these fish, as I have mentioned, may 

 often be seen resting on the tips of the pectoral and ven- 

 tral fins. On disturbing them, occasionally, instead of 

 swimming, especially if the water is very shallow, they 

 make a forward movement, by giving these fins a leg-like 



motion, indicated by leaving faint traces, thus: //// 



upon the sand. I first noticed this in observing speci- 

 mens kept in a large aquarium, and since then have seen 

 these same fin-marks made by the minnows in the mud 

 in the bottoms of the meadow-ditches. It is often a vol- 

 untary movement on their part, I am now convinced, 

 and not made only when disturbed. In fact, if suddenly 

 disturbed, they generally dart off by swimming only, and 

 bury themselves, tail-foremost, in the mud. 



