1874.] RESPIRATION OF FRESHWATER FISHES. 315 



about to hiss), and took in air, the branchial sacs behind the com 

 missure of the lips becoming inflated *. 



The fish was on the ninth day, removed from the water and placed 

 ma basket with some moistened grass. It lived there for five dS« 

 wihout water Unlike other fish kept for exper mental pnrposTs 

 it.refused food of any description during the whole time it Sued 



Exp. 5.-A specimen of Lepidocephaliethys balgara was placed in 



was S3 ^The S "' "f ^ ^ ^ ^ ™4*™£ 

 was used. Ihe fish was observed to pass to the surface of the water 



rapidly, and apparently blow off from the mouth some a r-bubbles 

 I immediately retreated to the bottom, and there thTac Ln of he 

 gill-covers was exceedingly rapid, so rapid as to be impossible to 

 count perhaps 200 in a minute. It was seen but on woocca ions 

 to go to the surface during the whole day; but from the nre ence of 

 bubbles on the surface it was suspected that it went on many other 

 occasions when not observed. d v ocn er 



The glass jar with the fish in it was taken for the night into mv 

 bedroom. About one o'clock I was awakened by somf no se and 

 heard a sound between a grunt and a squeal. I thou ™ a Rat had 

 got into the room (a not uncommon occurrence in the Eas*) a d [t 

 a candle to see where the intruder was. On going to that part of 

 the room whence the sound proceeded, I was surprised to LTtw 

 my little fish was the cause of all the disturbance Hp L i i , 

 out of the glass jar (the edge of which wt J 3 incE abo/e t su Xe 

 of the water), and had fallen to the ground, a distance of [feet T 

 found him wngghng about in the dust, occasionally ut ring a soueal 



^ pfclr 68 " mt ° ^ ^^ ^ again made the Same -iThSh 



in water appeared to W^So^o' ^ry" "wLn^dt 

 shallow water it remained suspended in the water ^ f, ™ 

 beneath the surface, respiring Ly rapidly^It uppoSJ lfeelft 

 this position by resting on its tail and lving againsUhe side of the 

 vessel, precisely as Amphipnous cuchia in Exp 4 



fi,h7l a PP roa f. of any object close to the side of the vessel the 

 fish a ways turned its head towards the object and tl.P Ifii » 



tre ed the mo ^ the f.r al r sardiu s the S&S£yfts 



time ; then, when satisfied that no immediate harm was to be feared 



Two days after its attempt to escape at night the »p fi a i, /■«*.• u 

 appeared quite as lively as'when fir^t obtafned) was p ac d ^ Jhe 

 sameglass jar. A double net was stretched ibout half an inch 



171 1 ft SUrfaCe °J the Water - Fiftee » mi ^tes afte wards tie 

 fish suddenly rose and attempted to reach the surface, riien sank 



position for capturing its prey. fl " Water m a convenient 



21 



* 



