Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1886 — Fish-Journeys by the Overland Route. [ARTICLE]

Fish-Journeys by the Overland Route.

Strolling one day in what is euphemistically termed, in equatorial latitudes, “the cool of the evening, ” along a tangled tropical American field-path, through a low region of lagoons and water-courses, my attention happened to be momentarily attracted from the monotonous pursuit of the nimble mos- „ quito by a small animal scuttling along irregularly before me, as if in a great hurry to get out of my way before I could turn him into an excellent specimen. At ‘ first sight I took the little common, small green lizards, and wasn’t much disposed to pay it any distinguished share either of personal or scientific attention. But, as I talked on a little farther through the- dense underbrush, more and more of these shuffling and scurrying little creatures kept crossing the path, hastily, all in one direction, and all, as it were, in a formed body or marching phalanx. Looking closer, to my great surprise I found they were actually fish "out of water, going on a walking-tour, for a change of air, to a new residencegenuine fish, - a couple of inahes long each,-not eel-shaped or serpentine in outline, but closely resembling a red beautifully and delicately colored, and with fins and tails of-the most orthodox spiny and prickly description. They were traveling acrosa-cohntry in a beeline, thousands of them together, not at all like the helpless fish out of water of. popular imagination, but as unconcernedly find naturally as if they had been accustomed to the overland route for their whole lifetimes, and were walking now on the king’s highway withotre let or hindrance. —Popular Science Monthly. * ", I-' 3 — 1 ;—: “ i ' » :