458 



Marvels of the Universe 



in all the \-arious stages of an insect's lite, may be classified into various groups, one including such 

 cases as those in which the insect becomes practically indistinguishable from its surroundings, and 

 another in which it is quite conspicuous, but looks more like some easily? recognized noxious 

 creature than something quite harmless and perhaps good to eat. 



It is difficult, without a good deal of patient observation, to gather from their actions what are 

 the views of a bird or lizard upon such resemblances, but many examples are readilv appreciated 

 by human beings. 



In the second class above mentioned many examples could be given, but one of the most remark- 

 able on record is shown in the illustrations on page 457 of the chrysalis of a moth. This was found 

 attached to the branch of a small bombax tree in Upper Burma. It bears a wonderful resem- 

 blance to the projecting head of a small snake, and not only that, but to a particular bird-eating 

 tree-snake which occurs in the same part of the world. 



The starins; black e\'es. the nostrils, snout, mouth, chin 



are 



THE CLIMBING PERCH. 



The first of these curious fishes was found by Lieutenant Daldo 



1797, 



all there, and certainly give the 

 chrysalis a most forbidding 

 aspect. 



The moth itself which 

 emerged from the chrysalis is 

 very beautiful, the wings hav- 

 ing a lo\-ely white, silky sheen 

 with patches of darker scales. 



THE CLIMBING 

 PERCH 



BY W. P. PYCR.AFT, .\.L.S., F.Z.S.. 

 Etc. 



It is always the unexpected 

 that happens in Nature. 

 Doubtless he who coined the 

 phrase " Like a fish out of 

 water " as a vivid means of 



a crevice of iKe bark of a palm. 



expressing extreme discomfort amid unusual surroundings, felt confident that no fish could 

 leave its watery world and live. But as a matter of fact there are many species which 

 possess this power, and the wonderful Anabas is among this number. Stranger still, it 

 can not only live without discomfort ashore, but it can both crawl and climb ! And this by 

 means of the stout spines which arm the hinder pair of beUy-fins, the unpaired fin which 

 runs along the body between these paired fins and the tail, and the stout spines on the gill-cover. 

 In crawling, it thrusts the spines of the gill-cover into the ground, bends its tail and inserts the 

 beUy-spines, then straightens out the body, which is thus thrust forward, when the same movements 

 are repeated. Thus the fish wriggles along at a fairly rapid rate. This fish was first discovered 

 in India, and was reported to be able to climb low trees, but confirmation of this feat is still wanting. 

 It can, however, as our illustration shows, climb up reeds to enjoy " a place in the sun," or to gain 

 the sloping bank for the purpose of making excursions on land. The latter journeys are probably 

 only undertaken when, by a premonition of impending drought and the probable drying-up of the 

 stream in which it is li^ang, it desires to find a more secure abiding-place. 



Now it is obvious that these peregrinations would be impossible but for some special breathing 

 apparatus contrived to enable the creature to breathe the upper air. This apparatus takes the 

 form of a pair of large cavities, on either side of the head, above the gills. This cavity opens down- 



