A HIDDEN HIGH W A Y. \ 2 \ 



pheric bath, and floundered about in a typical 

 fish-like fashion ; but not for long. Finding no 

 open water near, they became quiet at once 

 when by chance they fell into some little cavity 

 of the mud masses from which the water had 

 not drained. All such fortunate fishes seemed 

 quite at ease, and remained motionless where 

 their good luck had brought them ; but the mo- 

 ment I attempted to pick them up they twisted 

 like eels upon their muddy beds, and buried 

 themselves head-foremost with a rapidity that was 

 simply marvelous. This perhaps is what the 

 reader would expect, but it struck me as a little 

 strange, because, when I startled others of these 

 fishes as they rested among the weeds or on the 

 sand of the open ditches, they usually gave a 

 twist of the tail that dug a pit in a twinkling, and 

 in this the fishes sank, tail-foremost. 



When in the mud these curious minnows can 

 only feel their way, and if they procure any food 

 at all at such a time it can only be such objects 

 as come directly in contact with their mouths. 

 But how different is it when these same fishes 

 are in open water ! They are expert fly-catchers 

 then, and capture many an insect that would be 

 lost to a trout or chub. They have not to wait 

 for flies to fall upon the surface, but seize those 

 that happen to alight upon overhanging blades 

 of grass or any projecting twig. The distance 



