A FISH OUT OF WATER. C3 
X 
trance of the Pearl Elver, where every evening 
the drum-fishes assembled around the vessel, 
and continued their musical humming till about 
midnight. My messmate in the next cabin called 
out, '‘There go the drum-fishes;” and I would 
lie awake and listen to their monotonous drone 
on the other side of' the planks which sepa- 
rated me from them. The noise rose and fell, 
and sometimes suddenly ceased ; and the band 
of performers seemed to disperse, as they sought 
their food among the barnacles which encrusted 
the bottom of the vessel. " Mute as a fish ” is 
certainly very expressive, and, as a rule, more- 
over, is generally true, though I have heard toad- 
fishes grunt pretty loudly when taken out of the 
water, " A fish up a tree ” seems almost an im- 
possible thing; but have we not all heard of the 
climbing perch of India ? " A fish out of water ” 
appears strange and unnatural ; l3ut blennies, with 
protruding eyes and jointed pectorals, are seen 
hopping about the muddy banks of Chinese rivers, 
and perching on stray logs like any frogs. With 
