Another fish found by Daldorf in Tranquebar, not only creeps upon the shore, but even climbs the Fan palm in pursuit of certain Crustaceans which form its food. The structure of this fish peculiarly fits it for the exercise of this remarkable instinct. Its body is lubricated with slime, which facilitates its progress over the bark, and amongst its chinks; its gill-covers are armed with numerous spines, by which, used as hands, it appears to suspend itself; turning its tail to the left, and standing as it were on the little spines of its anal fin, it endeavours to push itself upwards by the expansion of its body, closing at the same time its gill-covers, that they may not prevent its progress; then expanding them again, it reaches a higher point: thus, and by bending the spiny rays of its dorsal fins to the right and left, and fixing them in the bark, it continues its journey upwards. The dorsal and anal fins can be folded up and received into a cavity of the body.
How exactly does this structure fit it for this extraordinary instinct! These fins assist it in certain parts of its progress, and when not employed, can be packed up so as not to hinder its progress. The lobes of its gill-covers are so divided and armed as to be employed together, or separately as hands, for the suspension of the animal, till, by fixing its dorsal and anal fins, it prepares itself to take another step: all showing the Supreme Intelligence and Almighty hand that planned and fabricated its structure, causing so many organs, each in its own way, to assist in promoting a common purpose. The Fan palm in which this animal was taken by Daldorf, grew near the pool inhabited by these fishes. He makes no mention, however, of their object in these terrestrial excursions; but Dr Virey observes that it is for the sake of small Crustaceans on which they feed.—Kirby’s Bridgewater Treatise.
“THY KINGDOM COME,”
BY MARY ANNE BROWNE.
Thy kingdom come! but where shall it be?
In the sweet, wild groves of Araby,
Where the citron groves and the date-tree grow,
Where the fair and thornless roses blow,
Where the sunlight falls in radiant streams,
And the moon on forests of palm-trees beams?
Fair are its roses and clustering vine,