242 PROSE HALIEUTICS. 



another not less singular trait in the natural history of 

 this fish, viz. a propensity to ascend trees. Mr. Dal- 

 dorf, a Dane, relates that he actually saw one of these 

 creatures making an anabasis up a palm-tree, which it 

 climbed by hooking its spinous gill-flaps into the ine- 

 qualities of the bark, and then pushing the body in ad- 

 vance by bending its tail. Having studied the small 

 climber's plan of ascent for some time, he idtimately 

 removed it from the tree at the height of sis feet : the 

 accuracy of this relation, resting, as supposed, upon the 

 testimony of a single pair of eyes, was said to be not 

 only inconclusive, but highly questionable, inasmuch as 

 many other pairs equally conversant with the anabas 

 had faUed to make any such observation : but this ob- 

 jection is neither fair in its inference, nor quite correct 

 in its statement. Mr. Thorns, another Dane, has put 

 his eyes at the service of his countrymen, as vouchers 

 for all Mr. Daldorf saw ; and, not to urge the obvious 

 diflSculty of detecting so diminutive a climber in a tree 

 at all (rendered no doubt more cautious in his proceed- 

 ings from being the known subject of unpleasant re- 

 mark), it may be inquired, if this fish had not the no- 

 torious habit attested by these two Danes, whence comes 

 its Tamul name paneiri, which is, we are told, being 

 interpreted, ' one that climbs trees' ? The generation of 

 this fish is involved in much mystery, if their actual 

 descent be not from the clouds. 



Whatever doubts may be entertained of the anabas's 

 first fall and subsequent rise, all observers agree that it 

 takes occasionally very long land-journeys of its own 

 accord ; and that it is not unfrequently made to perform 

 even longer, being carried, dry, some hundred and fifty 

 miles across the country to the markets of Calcutta, 

 where it is sought for by the natives, either as food or 

 for purposes of amusement. Jugglers carry them about 

 for exhibition, and children love to watch them crawling 



