The Wilmingtonian., 1824-04-22

fish. Some deception or trick may he sus-
pected. Care should therefore be taken
that no error Of these or Of any other kinds
should vitiate the narrative.
This is by no means solitary case.
The late Capt. Thomas Lawrence, told
me few years before his death, that he
witnessed shower of little fishes in Cher
ry-street; and that many Of them were
jumping about over the pavement. A gen
tleman assured me. very lately, that tish
had descended from the atmosphere near
Natchez. .@
The species was not ascertalned IN el-
ther Of these cases. In the year 1876. at
Cranstead, near Wrothan, in Kent, Eng
land, a pasture field was overspread by
small young ,chitings, supposed to have
fallen from the clouds in tempest OF thun-
der and rain. The occurrence is quoted
by the excellent Mr.. Derham, in his Ply
sico- Theology, from Lawthorp's abridg-
ment of the London Philosophical trans
actions.
The specimen in the present instance,
was so entire as to admit an ichthy yolosi-
cal description. From this it appears that
it differs from all the inhabitants Of our
water, and what is more remarkable still,
there is reason to believe that the species
to which the individual belongs, is unknown
to naturalsts.
On examination / found it to be Betra-
chus or Ioad.fish remotely allied to the
4Scorpnnas, Gurnards, and Buitheads.
Under the old classification, it would be
considered a Lophius without the elbowed
pectorals.
The length was rather more than two
inches. Breadth of the head rather more
than three quarters of an inch. Mouth and
throat wide. Tongue broad and distinct
Gil-coyers armed with three spines on
each side, pointed backward. Gill-open.
ings moderate. Two dorsal fms the fore.
most composed of three stiff spines, the
hindmost many-rayed, soft. and reaching
almost to the tail. Vent about midway ol
the body though rather nearer the mouth
and fin consists of numerous soft rays, and
also extends nearly to the tail. Rays oI
the caudel fin. soft. flexible, and more than
a quarter Of an inch long. Two ventral
fins on the anterior part of the thorax, or
they might be almost said to have their in
sertion on the neck-they consist each o.
a single ray, with flattened apprendage
ending twomembranous or skinny points
Pectora fins broad, and consisting of TWEEN
ty-two soft rays. Branchiostegous mem
brane, broad and six-rayed.
Eyes approximated and looking forward
and upward. Skin smooth and scaleless
A transverse grove or channel just below
ths eyes and ridge reaching from eac'
end Of it to the upper edge Of the pectora
| fin.
Mouth armed with plenty of small ant
sharp teeth, placed in close array along
the lower jaw, upper jaw. and upper lip
Those in the lip smaller and finer than th
others. The lower jaw projects so far tina
its foremost teeth, when the mouth is clos
ed, are quite beyond the contact of thos
in the upper jaw. Several civllic or beard
: beneath the chin.
The new and singular character of thi
atmospheric fish, proves that it could no
J have been procured from the net or til
, market, inasmuch as the waters aroun
, New York do not contain any such spec
) men. How it was elevated from its watt
, ry abode, and waited through the air fror
I a great distance, may be explained upo
the same principle, perhaps, with th'
Y which affords solution to the descent
, shells, frogs, worms. and other creature
; occasionally from the clouds.
e Having collected the testimony in til
e particular instance, and obtained the pr
e cipitated animal, believed it proper
read the written account have mad
e that the event may be perpetuated as ol
). of the remarkable phenomena of the tin
r and place in which we live. 1t is hop,
that other observers may be induced
e register events OF similar kind.