Chap. X.] 
FISHES ON DRY LAND. 
347 
commentary on the collection Uspl Savfiaa-Lcov aicov- 
a-fjbdrcov, ascribed to Aristotle, has given a list of the 
authorities about his own times, — G-eorgius Agricola, 
G-esner, Kondelet, Dalechamp, Bomare, and (xRONO- 
vius, who not only gave credence to the assertions of 
Theophrastus, but adduced modern instances in corro- 
boration of his Indian authorities. 
As regards the fresh- water fishes of India and Ceylon, 
the fact is now established that certain of them possess 
the power of leaving the rivers and returning to them 
again after long migrations on dry land, and modern 
observation has fully confirmed their statements. They 
leave the pools and nullahs in the dry season, and led 
by an instinct as yet unexplained, shape their course 
through the grass towards the nearest pool of water. A 
similar phenomenon is observable in countries similarly 
circumstanced. The Doras of Guiana 1 have been seen 
travelling over land during the dry season in search of 
their natural element 2 , in such droves that the negroes 
fill baskets with them during these terrestrial excursions. 
Pallegoix in his account of Siam, enumerates three 
species of fishes which leave the tanks and channels 
1 D. HancocJcii, Cw. et Yajl. pines. — Kxrby, Bridgewater Trea- 
2 Sir E. Schomburgk's Fishes of Use, vol. i. p. 143. 
Guiana, vol. i. pp. 113, 151, 160. Eels kept in a garden, when 
Another migratory fish was found August arrived (the period at 
by Bosc very numerous in the which instinct impels them to go 
fresh waters of Carolina and in to the sea to spawn) were in the 
ponds liable to become dry in habit of leaving the pond, and 
summer. When captured and were invariably found moving east- 
placed on the ground, "they always ward in the direction of the sea. — 
directed themselves towards the Yakreix, vol. ii. p. 384. Anglers 
nearest water, which they could not observe that fish newly caught, 
possibly see, and which they must when placed out of sight of water, 
have discovered by some internal always struggle towards it to 
index. They belong to the genus escape. 
Hydrargyra, and are called Swam- 
