MIGKATOEY FISHES OF ASIA. 213 



shown on sucli conclusive evidence that a recapitulation of in- 

 stances appears to be superfluous. 



Eish.es have been observed in the East to fall from the clouds 

 in a fresh or in a decomposed condition. With reference to this, it 

 has been said that, sucked up by waterspouts, tbey may be carried 

 long distances. Last year, on October 5th, it was observed in 

 ' Nature ' that '' a tornado of almost unexampled intensity and de- 

 structiveness swept over the Isle of Wight . . . and extended at least 

 16 miles to the N.E. of Cowes ... A gentleman in a small yacht, 

 which fortunately was out of the course of the tornado, suddenly 

 heard sounds very much resembling the noise caused by the escape 

 of steam when at its highest pressure ; and at the same time the 

 whole sky became clouded with articles of all forms and sizes, 

 which were carried through the air to a height of about 300 feet 

 and parallel with the shore . . . Turnips and other crops were 

 literaliy dragged out of the ground." This instance shows on a 

 small scale what exists in the East, how articles may be sucked 

 up, how little pools of water with the contained fish may be taken 

 up in a whirlwind ; and should the heat be excessive, one can easily 

 imagine how soon these masses of animal substance might decom- 

 pose. Every one in India has observed miniature whirlwinds 

 sucking up the dust in an hour-glass form, and with it pieces of 

 straw &c. which come within its influence. 



The various accounts of fishes falling from the clouds may be 

 classified as follows •.—first, those descending during violent 

 storms of winds and rain ; secondly, appearing when no storm 

 occurred. Amongst the first of these classes they have been re- 

 corded as distributed over some considerable extent of country in 

 a continuous straight line, not more than a span in breadth, or 

 else as covering a moderate-sized spot. 



Of the second form it has always seemed to rae to be an open 

 question whether such were not fishes appearing suddenly in moist 

 places where they had not been previously observed, and in a 

 manner which I now propose to enter into. 



I have seen large fish suddenly appear after heavy rains in 

 most unlikely places — in fact, where but recently the locality had 

 been a dry open plain ; and I have since seen them dug out of the 

 ground. I place these two instances together, as one may have 

 a considerable bearing on the other. During the dry months of 

 the year it is ceri;ain that almost every piece of water is stocked 

 Avith fish ; and at these periods the minute forms play a most 



