272 



LIFE, IN ITS HIGHER FORMS. 



of those beautiful little tropical fishes called Chsetodons. 

 In the East Indies these are kept in vases for the purpose 

 of witnessing their unerring archery, as their feats in this 

 way are highly amusing. The manners of these little 

 fishes (abundantly confirmed by subsequent testimony) 

 were first described by Dr Schlosser, in a communication 

 to the Royal Society, on the authority of Mr Hommel, 

 the Governor of the Hospital at Batavia. 



The little fish alluded to (Chelmo/i rostratus) " frequents 

 the shores and sides of the sea and rivers in search of 

 food : when it spies a fly sitting on the plants that grow 

 in shallow water, it swims on to [within] the distance of 



The Fly-shooter. 



four, five, or six feet ; and then, with a surprising dexte- 

 rity, it ejects out of its tubular mouth a single drop of 



