ANECDOTE. 343 



tion were precipitated to the base of the vessel, cover- 

 ing it with a coating of fur. 



The poor Blennies speedily showed signs of distress, 

 and changed colour, as they generally do, upon the 

 most trifling cause. Instead of dark brown or black, 

 their bodies appeared of a yellowish tint, spotted 

 with white. Such a change was lovely to the eye, 

 but, alas ! it was 



*The loveliness in death, 

 Which parts not quite with parting breath.' 



The little creatures jumped and dived about in all direc- 

 tions, all their motions being extremely violent. I 

 quickly perceived the error which had been com- 

 mitted, and, moreover, discovered to my chagrin that 

 such error could not possibly be rectified for some 

 time, on account of my not having by me any 

 feserve of pure salt water. Taking several of the 

 fishes in my hand, I stroked their backs with a 

 camel hair pencil, and was pleased to find that as 

 their alarm subsided their natural hue returned. 

 My being obliged to place my pets in their unhappy 

 and pestilential home again was, as the reader may 

 suppose, a source of regret to me ; but I had some 

 hopes that they might by chance survive, and 

 become used to the * vapour of their dungeon/ at 

 all events until such time as I could hasten to 

 the sea-side and procure a new supply of water. 

 My expectations of such a result were built upon 

 the fact, that although four of the fishes had 



