126 WOOD NOTES WILD. 
Music in Nature. (See p. 2.) 
VESPER-MICE. 
Buckland, F: Log-book of a Fisherman and Zodlogist (London, 
1875), pp. 103, 104. Mr. Buckland says, “The song is a genuine song, 
as good and as musical as that of a lark on a fine summer morning.” 
Davis, W. T., in Amer. Nat., vol. xxiii, 1889, pp. 481-484. — Ed- 
wards, W. H., in Amer. Nat., vol. iii., 1870, p. 551.— Lockwood, Rev. 
S.: Asinging hesperomys. (Amer. Nat., vol. v., 1871, p. 761.) — Nature, 
vol. xvi., 1877, p. 558; vol. xvii., 1877, pp. 11, 29. 
Nor is music confined to the shore. 
EEL AND FIsu. 
See Abbott, Dr. C. C.: Wasteland Wanderings, pp. 300-302.— 
Edinburgh Philos. Journ., vol. xiv. p. 188. — Musical Fishes. (Pop. 
Sci. Mo., vol. xxiii, Aug., 1883, p. 571.) Peal, S. E.: Voice in Fish. 
(Nature, vol. xxi., Nov., 1879, p. 55).— Tennent, Sir J. E.: Sketches of 
Nat. Hist. of Ceylon (London, 1861), pp. 380-385. — White, Rev. G.: 
Nat. Hist. Selborne, ed. by E. Jesse (London, 1878), p. 245, note. — 
Yarrell, W.: Hist. of Brit. Fishes, vol. i, pp. 44, 107. 
“A party lately crossing from the promontory in Salsette called the 
‘Neat’s Tongue,’ to near Sewree, were about sunset struck by hearing 
long, distinct sounds like the protracted booming of a distant bell, the 
dying cadence of an olian harp, the note of a pitch-pipe or pitch-fork, 
or any other long-drawn-out musical note. It was at first supposed to be 
music from Parell floating at intervals on the breeze; then it was per- 
ceived to come from all directions almost in equal strength, and to arise 
from the surface of the water all round the vessel. The boatmen at once 
intimated that the sounds were produced by fish abounding in the muddy 
creeks and shoals around Bombay and Salsette; they were perfectly well 
known, and very often heard. Accordingly, on inclining the ear towards 
the surface of the water; or, better still, by placing it close to the planks 
of the vessel, the notes appeared loud and distinct, and followed each other 
in constant succession. The boatman next day produced specimens of the 
fish, — a creature closely resembling in size and shape the fresh-water 
perch of the north of Europe, — and spoke of them as plentiful and per- 
fectly well known.” — Dr, Buist, in Bombay Times, January, 1847. 
