Did you ever notice, said Mr. George G. Parvin, of Cincinnati, the 

 methodical habits of the various species of fish. It is, no doubt, on ac- 

 count of their systematic habits and custom that fish usually go in schools, 

 where they receive their education, fitting them for their respective w^dlks 

 or swims in life. I once noticed down at the inlet of Indian River, in 

 Florida, where the tide-water from the oceaii mingles with the fresh 

 waters of the stream, a wonderful congregation of fishes of all varieties. 

 Thev were leaping about in play, and over the waves I could hear the 

 sounds of the fish language in all their dialects. 



There was the muffled drumming of the drumfish, the bellowing of 

 the buffalofish, the satisfied grunting of the hogfish, the neighing of the 

 redhorse, the barking of the dogfish, the caterwauling of the catfish, 

 and the bleating of the sheepshead, mingled with other sounds too numer- 

 ous to mention. 



I observed, too, the characteristic movements of each species : the 

 floundering of the flounders, the soldier-like pace of the sergeant fish, the 

 dainty walk of the lady fish, and the peculiar grouping of the groupers; 

 but what interested me most was the grand review which took place just 

 before the fish party broke up. The swordfish brandished his sword and 

 led the way, while the sawfish saw that the drill was properly conducted. 

 The kingfish, upon a coral reef, reviewed the procession. The National 

 colors were borne by the red grouper, the whitefish and the bluefish, and 

 the music was furnished by the black drum. 



The weakfish was assisted by the rockfish, and in regular order fol- 

 lowed the shad, in his shadow, the pickerel with a pick, the pike-perch with 

 his pike, the skip- jack skipping along, the carping sea-carp, the rock bass 

 looking rocky, the straw bass carrying straw, the calico bass in a calico garb, 

 the sunfish with its attendant shiners, the star fishes; the moon-eye, looking 

 moon-struck ; the lake lawyers and their twin pettifoggers, the bill fish, pre- 

 senting their bills; the shovel-nose sturgeon, shoveling his way; the horned 

 chub shaking his horns, and many other kinds of fish, each in its proper 

 place, in the unique procession. It seemed like a sort of watery congress 

 of all nations — a marine Midway Plaisance, with all the finny features 

 imaginable. A greater variety of scaly customers I never saw. 



