SHOWERS OF FISHES have occasionally fallen in different parts of the world, exciting great astonishment. Instances of this kind have occurred in Britain. A few years since, a shower of small three-spined sticklebacks fell near Merthyr-Tydvil in Wales, sprinkling the ground and honse-top.s over an area of at least several square miles. They were alive when they fell; yet if caught up by a whirlwind from any of the brackish ponds near the sea, in which this species of fish abounds, they must have been conveyed through the air a distance of almost thirty miles. Another similar instance occurred at Torrens, in the isle of Mull, in which herringa were found strewed on a hill five hundred yards from the sea, and 100 ft.. above it.
Showers of fishes occur much more frequently in tho:e Impical countries where violent storms, sudden gusts of wind, and whirlwinds arc mast common. In India. a shower of fishes from a pennd and a half to three pounds in weight has been known to fali. Sometimes the fishes are living, more frequently they are dead. and
sometimes dry or putrefying. They are always of kinds abundant in tine sea or fresh waters of the neighlmhood; and it cannot be doubted that they are carnalup into Ors air by violent winds or whirlwinds; althowth they sornethnes fall at a considerable dis tance from any writer which could supply them. The sudden reappearance of fresh water tiles in ponds which have been dried up for months tropical countries, is often popularly ascribed to their falling from the clouds; but the truth is, that they have been buried in the 'nod below, existing probably in a state analogous to that of animals in cold climates during hyhernation. A pool, the'bottom of which has long been dry, and on which grass has grown and cattle have vialked, is again filled with fishes in a few hours after it is filled with water.