336 EAMBLBS 0¥ A NATURALIST. [Oh. XX. 



derfully minute specimens, in which the Japanese so greatly 

 excel. It is amusing to see the Chinese gardener water his 

 choice plants. Taking as much water as his mouth will 

 hold, he squirts it out all over the plant in a fine rain, as 

 eifectually as if he had performed the feat with the aid of 

 Eimmel's patent vaporizer. I have seen them water linen 

 in the same way in the process of washing. 



In some vases containing gold-fish I observed a most 

 singular variety, which if seen depicted would have been 

 almost regarded as a work of imagination. Not only had 

 they a double caudal fin, which is not an uncommon variety, 

 but the expanse of their tails was so great that it might al- 

 most have been said to have a triple tail ; while the eyes 

 projected so far from the head as to have the effect of being 

 seated upon veritable footstalls, and bearing a resemblance 

 to those of the telescopic carp (Cyprinus buphthalmus). 

 This curious variety I have seen figured in rice paper 

 drawings, and representing so outre an aspect that it has 

 condemned the whole book as one of fabulous animals^ 

 most unjustly, however, for it was a faithful representation 

 of a not uncommon fish ; and the same may be said of other 

 rice-paper drawings, for although often highly coloured, 

 owing to the brilliancy of their pigments and the remarkable 

 facility for taking colour which characterises rice-paper, 

 there is, on the whole, a considerable amount of fidelity in 

 most cases to the objects they profess to represent. I also 

 met with this fish in papier-mache in the toy-shops, in form 

 correct enough, but coloured d discretion. 



In China, owing to the scantiness of clothing, any de- 

 formity of course becomes very apparent ; nevertheless, very 

 few arrest the attention even when directed to the subject. 

 Neither in Hong Kong, Canton, nor Shanghai, did I observe 



