This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 Excerpt: ...time, so that it can moisten its gills and live whilst out of its native element. Hamilton Buchanan observes that he has known it to retain vitality under these conditions for six days. That it travels from pond to pond when its means of subsistence fail is a well known fact; but that it buries itself in the mud as ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 Excerpt: ...time, so that it can moisten its gills and live whilst out of its native element. Hamilton Buchanan observes that he has known it to retain vitality under these conditions for six days. That it travels from pond to pond when its means of subsistence fail is a well known fact; but that it buries itself in the mud as tanks dry up and remains there until the monsoon of the next year again fills them with water, is a subject that requires further research. It should be remarked that the comparative size of many of the parts of the body varies with the age of the fish, its state of health at the time captured, and the supply of food which it has been obtaining. Likewise the number of scales along the lateral line differs considerably in various specimens, as do also the number of its fin rays, and its colours. Are common in most pieces of fresh water in Malabar, and esteemed very good eating by the Natives, who invariably when catching them bite their heads, in order to destroy life. On one occasion this practice led to a fatal result; the fish having slipped down the throat of the fisherman, it could not be withdrawn owing to the erectile nature of the gill covers and scales, and the man was suffocated before reaching the hospital. Habitat--Fresh waters of India, Malaysia, and the Philippine Islands. r Genus POLYACANTHUS, Cuv. and Vol. Branchiostegals, six: pseudobranchioe none. Body oblong, compressed: opercles without spines: sub-and interopercles and preorbital serrated. A superbranchial organ as in the Genus Anabas. Eyes lateral. Mouth small, oblique, little protractile. Branchial arches with toothed tubercles. One dorsal fin, the spinous portion much more developed than the soft. Anal spines numerous, and more developed than its soft portion. Ventrals of o...
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