MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY CHINESE MOON RAY ABSORBING,EGG EATING BLACK DOG FISH!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls I have another weird and wonderful story from China that I found in the North China Herald and South-East and Central China Gazette of Jan 9^th 1891. Please can someone identify this animal?

A returned traveller from Kuangsi (Guangzi-Zhuang) Province tells of a strange fish found in the Kweiling [ i.e. Gweilin – R] river of that province. The fish is black in colour, has four feet and walks like a quadruped. The natives call it dog fish from its similarity to that animal. When quiet reigns late at night the fish crawls out of water and climbs to the top of trees in search of birds and eggs which seem to be its favourite food. It is said that the fish also inhales the rays of the moon and regulates and trains its breathing powers so that its agility and cunning excel anything in the air,on earth or in water. To capture it, it is necessary to keep very quiet, spread a net under the tree up which the fish has climbed and when it descends fold over the net; otherwise no bullet or arrow or line or hook will take it. As the natives believe it an infallible cure in consumption or other diseases of general debility , it is much sought for. A certain Canton merchant bought a few to present to his friends; while the servant was carrying them he accidentally fell and had his finger badly bitten. A short time afterwards the servant stole from his master and ran away. Then the natives claim the fish possessed a prophetic knowledge of coming events and gave the master warning by biting the servant! (1)

So what have we here? Some kind of seal or otter?

1. The North China Herald and S.E. & C.China Gazette   9/1/1891