DN TTiE STUDY OP NATURE. l/ 



Again, in the torrid climates, where a scorching 

 heat, destructive to general vegetation, prevails 

 through the greater part of the year, we have a si- 

 milar wonderful contrivance. In India, when the 

 wet season commences, the rain falls in such abun- 

 dance as to cover the whole surface of the Earth, 

 as if with a sheet ; so that in the course of a few 

 hours, ponds of considerable depth are formed in 

 every hollow place, in many of which there had not 

 been, for several months past, the smallest appear- 

 ance of moisture, not even so much as to afford 

 nourishment to any of tlie plants. No sooner, 

 however, does this rain begin to fall, than in the 

 fields, which were, to appearance, as destitute of 

 vegetation as the most frequented roads in our 

 country are, vegetation commences ; and in less 

 than twenty-four hours the nppearance of verdure 

 can be distinctly perceived which ever way the eye is 

 directed. But the most surprizing circumstance 

 that occurs on this occasion is, that almost as soon 

 as this verdure begins to appear, these newly form-, 

 ed ponds are found swarming with fish of such a 

 size as to admit of being taken with nets, and to af- 

 ford food for man : they are esteemed a great delica- 

 cy, and therefore universally known. This fact is 

 related by Dr. Anderson, on the authority of a very 

 respectable person of Bombay, and was not stated 

 till the fullest enquiries had been made, and the most 

 satisfactory evidence had appeared respecting it.* 



Thus does the uniform voice of Nature exclaim 



* And. Rec. in Ag. i. 070. 



