Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-11-26
A Queer Fish.

THAT most curious fish, the anabas-
which respires and lives and thrives as
well out of water as in it. which has its
rampages upon the plains and fresh pas
lures as well as its gambols among the
weeds under the briny waves, and which
is even reported to climb aerial trees as
easy as ii does the coral shrubs of the
sea-has been known from remote antiq-
uity to exist among the wonders of the
East, but never until now has it visited
the Western world. France is the fortu-
nate country which, thanks to the learned
pisciculturist, M. Carbonnier, has well
coined into its aquariums living ana
has from the far.otf Indies. There Is
nothing in the exterior appearance of the
anabas to indicate its aerial habits or
capacities. 1t is purely fish in its form
alton, and its power OF creeping or walk.
ing upon the earth is due simply to the
fins and tail which control its movements
in the sea, and which belong only to the
tribes 1T the finny deep. A post m0rtem
examination is necessary to discover the
secret of it's amphibiousness. In the
head is found the special organ which
invests it with the faculty Of living two
lives, as II were-aquatic and aerial. On
each side of the head, instead of being
hard and rigid, as with other fishes,
the upper pharyngeal arches are di
vided into fine, irregular lamin9 OF
plates, more or less numerous, form
ing cavities and little cells
capable of containing a considerable
amount of water. The theory of science
has been that fish dies out of water,
not from immediate want of oxygen, but
because the gill become dry and unsuited
to Its transmission. Hence, Cuvier be-
licved that the labyrinthiform cavity in
the head of the anabas was a reservoir
of water which the fish carried full when
1t went upon It's land excursions for the
purpose Of moistening its gills when oc-
casion required. The French scientists,
however, have discovered that it is moth
ing of the sort; that Cuvier, so long an
undisputed authority in the matter, was
wholly mistaken; and that the cavity, 80
far from being a water reservoir, as al
legged, never contains water, but has sim
ply surface that secretes certain hui
midity in which the air for respiration
is maintained. The anabas inhabits all
parts of India and the Indian archipel-
ago, living mostly in marshes and inlets
which are occasionally dry. When its
habitaes are destitute Of water the ana
has, fish as 1t is, fees to the land in
search of livelihood. It's peregrina.
tions continue many days, and some
times even months. Nothing is more
curious and interesting than its manner
of locomotion. No sooner is it upon
terra firma than it closes its mouth and
its opercules or gill-covers, and no con-
traction or tapping is any longer
seen; then, by general movement. all
its fins are erected, the pectorals beng
extended like two arms the fish supports
itself in an upright position by means of
strokes right and left with its tail; and
aided by an inferior propulsion of the
anal fin it progresses with lively and
easy motion, using its arms like oars M
il were, and sculling from side to side
alternately, in accord with the strokes of
the tail As 10 the ability of the anabas
to climb trees, modern skepticism gen.
orally regards that merely fish story.
although, enthusiastic naturalists con.
tinue 10 assert the fact, and even to yer.
ify by statements which challenge both
charity and incredulity. In the latter
part of the last century Danish gentle
man, NJ DnldorT. communicated an &c.
count of H. habits of the anabas 10 the
Linnaan osiety Of London, in which he