Chap. X.] 
BUKIED SPAWN. 
343 
of the rain and oxygen in the next wet season, when 
viviflcation takes place from their joint influence." 1 
This hypothesis, however, appears to have been 
advanced upon imperfect data ; for although some fish, 
like the salmon, scrape grooves in the sand and place 
their spawn in inequalities and fissures ; yet as a general 
rule spawn is deposited not beneath but on the surface 
of the ground or sand over which the water flows, the 
adhesive nature of each egg supplying the means of 
attachment. But in the Ceylon tanks not only is the 
surface of the soil dried to dust after the evaporation of 
the water, but earth itself, twelve or eighteen inches 
deep, is converted into sun-burnt clay, in which, although 
the eggs of mollusca, in their calcareous covering, are 
in some instances preserved, it would appear to be as 
impossible for the ova of fish to be kept from decom- 
position as for the fish themselves to sustain life. Be- 
sides, moisture in such situations is only to be found at 
a depth to which spawn could not be conveyed by the 
parent fish, by any means with which we are yet 
acquainted. 
fish. The water had no connect- Bengal, found a fish in the pulvio- 
ion with any pond or stream what- meter at Calcutta, in 1838.— Journ. 
soever." Mr. Ckipps, in like Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. vi. p. 465. 
manner, in speaking of Gralle, says : A series of instances in which 
" I have seen in the vicinity of the fishes have been found on the con- 
fort, fish taken from rain-water tinent of India under circum- 
that had accumulated in the hollow stances which lead to the con- 
parts of land that in the hot season elusion that they must have fallen 
are perfectly dry and parched, from the clouds, have been col- 
The place is accessible to no run- leeted by the late Dr. Butst of 
ning stream or tank; and either the Bombay, and will be found in the 
fish, or the spawn from which they appendix to this chapter, 
were produced, must of necessity 1 Yaerell, History of British 
have fallen with the rain." Fishes, introd. vol. i. p. xxvi. This 
Mr. J. Prinsbp, tha. eminent too was the opinion of Aristotle, 
secretary to the Asiatic Society of Be Bespiratione, c. ix. 
z 4 
