Chap. X.] M AST ACEMBE LUS ARMATUS. 
339 
Mastacembelus armatus. 1 The back is armed with from 
thirty-five to thirty-nine short, stout spines ; there being 
three others before the anal fin. The ground colour of 
the fish is brown, and the head has two rather irregular 
longitudinal black bands ; deep-brown spots run along 
the back as well as along the dorsal and anal fins ; and 
the sides are ornamented with irregular and reticulated 
brown lines. This eel attains to the length of two feet. 
The old females do not show any markings, being of a 
uniform brown colour. 
In the collection of Major Skinner, before alluded to, 
brought together without premeditation, the naturalist 
will be struck by the preponderance of those genera 
which are adapted by nature to endure a temporary 
privation of moisture; and this, taken in connection 
with the vicissitudes affecting the waters they inhabit, 
exhibits a surprising illustration of the wisdom of the 
Creator in adapting the organisation of his creatures to 
the peculiar circumstances under which they are destined 
to exist. 
So abundant are fish in all parts of the island, that 
Knox says, not the running streams alone, but the reser- 
voirs and ponds, « nay, every ditch and little plash of 
water but ankle deep hath fish in it." 2 But many of 
these reservoirs and tanks are, twice in each year, liable 
1 Macrognathus arniatus, Lacep.; 
Mastacembelus armatus, Cuv., Vol. 
2 Knox's Historical Relation of 
Ceylon, Part i. ch. vii. The oc- 
currence of fish in the most un- 
looked-for situations, is one of the 
mysteries of other eastern countries 
as well as Ceylon and India. In 
Persia irrigation is carried on to a 
great extent by means of wells 
z 
sunk in line in the direction in 
which it is desired to lead a supply 
of water, and these are connected 
by channels, which are carefully 
arched over to protect them from 
evaporation. These kanats, as 
they are called, are full of fish, 
although neither they nor the wells 
they unite have any connection 
with streams or lakes. 
2 
