320 mr. G. e ; dobson on the [May 19, 



surface, and consequently was soonest asphyxiated when retained 

 under water *. 



The faculty of living out of water, or when the gills are kept in a 

 moistened condition only, not only for hours, but in some cases for 

 days, possessed by many species of Symbranchidce, Labyrinthici, and 

 Ophiocephalidce especially, is not alone a wonderful provision of nature 

 enabling these animals to resist the prolonged droughts of the coun- 

 tries they are found in, but is also of the greatest importance to the 

 inhabitants of these countries, who are well acquainted with their 

 vitality out of water, and take advantage of it in transporting them 

 long distances, and in being able to maintain their supply fresh till 

 required for use. Accordingly these fish, though not very delicate in 

 flavour, are highly esteemed by the people of Bengal, especially by 

 the poorer classes, and great quantities of Anabas scandens, Tricho- 

 gaster fasciatus, Ophiocephalus punctatus, O. striatus, and Amphi- 

 pnous cuchia are daily exposed for sale in the bazars. 



The Anabas, which has the greatest vitality of all out of water 

 except the Amphipnous, is kept in closely woven baskets, about one 

 hundred individuals or more in each basket. Thus lying close 

 together, evaporation is greatly lessened and their gills are kept 

 moist. In this condition they live, I have beeu told by many uative 

 fishermen, for four or five days. In very dry weather some water 

 is daily thrown on them, or the basket is immersed for a short time 

 in water. 



A constant supply of fresh fish is thus afforded, the importance of 

 which can only be fully appreciated in tropical countries, where fish 

 taken in the morning are often unfit for use by breakfast time. 



The experiments here recorded were but the commencement of 

 what I had intended to be a series, including every Indian freshwater 

 fish possible to procure alive. They were undertaken at the sug- 

 gestion of Mr. Francis Day, to whose most interesting paper on this 

 subject I have referred above. My investigations were suddenly in- 

 terrupted by my unexpected return to Europe ; and as 1 now see no 

 prospect of revisiting the East Indies for some years, I think it may 

 be well to record the few observations made. 



The following Table (p. 321) exhibits the results of the experiments 

 above described, and also of Mr. Day's investigations. The species of 

 fish are arranged according to the time required to produce asphyxia 

 when deprived of access to the surface of the water. The position 

 of Amphipnous cuchia is uncertain. 



* As remarked by Mr. Day {Joe. tit. p. 279), some fishes which take in air at 

 the surface of the water (compound breathers), possess the power of remaining 

 in a state of semitorpidity at the bottom, and in this condition exist for many 

 hours without respiring. This will account for the difference of time required 

 to produce asphyxia in individuals of the same species noted in foregoing ob- 

 servations. 



