WITH FISH AND FISHING. 225 



Anableps, or Four-eyed Fish. The most sin- 

 gular eye of fish is that of the anableps, a vivi- 

 parous fish, inhabiting the rivers of Surinam, and 

 called by the natives the four-eyed fish. If the 

 cornea of this eye be examined attentively, it will 

 be found that it is divided in two equal portions, 

 each forming part of an individual sphere, placed 

 one above, and the other below, and united by a 

 little narrow membranous, but not diaphonous, 

 band, which is nearly horizontal when the fish is 

 in its natural position ; if the lower portion be 

 examined, a rather large iris and pupil will be 

 seen, with a crystalline humour under it, and a 

 similar one with a still larger pupil in the upper 

 portion, if we may conjecture, this enables the 

 animal to see near and distant objects at the same 

 time, the little worms below for its food, and to 

 guard against the great fishes above. 



Rev.W.Kirby. 



In some of the rivers in Guiana, there is found 

 a curious fish, about the size of a smelt, which has 

 four eyes, two on each side, placed one above the 

 other ; when swimming it keeps two eyes above, 

 and two below the surface. Mirror, vol. xxv. 



Fish in a Glass Bowl. Mr. W. Aderon re- 

 commends persons who are amused with the evo- 

 lutions of fish in a bowl, to try small fish of prey, 

 as affording most amusement; it also becomes 

 Q 



