Fishas. 7181 



by all of whom they were most carefully observed, and the impressions 

 of all of whom in regard to them were uniform. It is supposed that; 

 the fish are confined to particular localities — shallows, estuaries and 

 muddy creeks, rarely visited by Europeans ; and that this is the reason 

 why hitherto no mention, so far as we know, has been made of the 

 peculiarity in any work on Natural History." 



I should observe that these observations date but one year previously 

 to those of Sir ICmerson Tennent's, who was at Chilka late in 1848, 

 eleven years before the publication of his work on Ceylon. But we 

 have other independent witnesses. In 1858 the present Governor of 

 Ceylon visited Chilka Lake, and this, be it observed, is a year prior to 

 the pubUcation of the fact by Sir Emerson Tennent. This gentleman 

 says, 



" I ought not to take my leave of Batticaloa, which I may not have 

 an opportunity of revisiting, without mentioning the natural pheno- 

 menon for which its lake is remarkable — the singing fish. I was too ill 

 during my stay in 1857 to expose myself in the night air upon the 

 water ; and 1 confess that, in spite of the impression then made upon 

 my fellow travellers, amongst whom were Major-General Lockyer and 

 Captain Gosset, I went out upon the present occasion with a consider- 

 able amount of incredulity, and was the last to believe the evidence of 

 my own senses. Dr. Johnston being satisfied as to the existence of a 

 sound apparently proceeding from the water long before I could realize 

 it; but after changing the position of the boat once or twice, there 

 could be no doubt about the matter. The sound rose and swelled, 

 and absolutely vibrated about us in a manner that lett no question as 

 to the fact, whatever may be the causes. Its character is indescribable. 

 It is not like any other sound. It is only heard at night. It has 

 nothing harmonious or musical about it. There are no modulations, 

 no variety of notes, except what the increase and decrease in strength 

 jn'oduced. As to its origin, nobody knows anything. It may be the 

 fish to whom it is popularly attributed ; it may be the rush of air 

 through rocks partially hollowed. There is nothing but conjecture to 

 guide us in this respect. The results all can vouch for. And these 

 results are certainly most distinct within a limited distance from the 

 shore, though heard occasionally in deep water. 1 am no naturalist ; 

 1 can only state what I personally saw and experienced. Others must 

 explain it. Something similar, it is said, occurs in the Bay of Naples. 

 It is strange that between Naples and Batticaloa there should be this 

 one point of resemblance." 



Next follows an extract from a letter published in tlie * Bombay 



