152 RAMBLES OP A NATUEALIST. [Ch. X. 



nection existing between the fish and the anemone was 

 demonstrated, though what is the nature and object of that 

 connection yet remains to be proved. 



There are at least two species of these anemone-inhabitiag 

 fish ; and a second species of the same genus differs from 

 that just described in having black and cream-coloured 

 vertical bands, instead of orange and white. Such a fish I 

 have seen, evidently related to the first-mentioned, living 

 in a tub which did duty for an aquarium, in the possession 

 of Mr. Low, at Labuan, and which had been obtained 

 from what was probably a second species of fish- sheltering 

 anemone. This fish was remarkably lively and amusing, 

 and of a disposition I can only describe as knowing ; and 

 lived in good health in this tub for several months — a proof 

 that the connection between these animals, whatever its 

 nature, is not absolutely essential for the fish at least. 



But the fine weather which permitted such operations 

 on a submerged coral reef in the centre of the China sea 

 was not destined to endure much longer, and a strong south- 

 west monsoon now warned us away from this interesting 

 spot. For the next week we experienced a series of squaUs, 

 accompanied by heavy rain and otherwise dirty weather^ 

 which wen Ulustrated the difficulty and vicissitudes of the 

 naturalist's work on board ship. The living things I had 

 brought from the reef to draw and examine, more particularly 

 the more delicate species, were capsized from time to time 

 by a heavy lurch of the vessel, upsetting the salt water 

 among papers and drawings, as well as into the colour-box, 

 which the contracted limits of the cabin often necessarily 

 ' brought into dangerous proximity. The rolling motion made 

 it necessary to suspend operations, and meanwhile the ani- 

 mals died, or were lost. To write, even, was almost im- 



