THE BEAKED CH^TODON. 229 



forms being temporarily disturbed were quickly captured. The party had secured the services 

 of a fishing-crew and their smack. The latter had the usual "well," which is used to keep 

 the "fare" of fish alive within while waiting a market. Into this well the fishes, etc., were 

 placed. The sea- water playing in and out through the bottom was comparatively pure. After 

 securing many specimens of great value, as many as could safely be bestowed, the smack set 

 sail for the colder waters of the north. Here in the Florida Straits the sea is, even in winter, 

 warmer than that around the northern coast in summer. Some of the choicest specimens and 

 duplicates were judiciously placed in glass globes, and kept in the cabin. The almost inevita- 

 ble thing happened the cold water killed everything before the party had reached Hatteras. 

 The specimens in the globes were saved, and the "only Angel-fish ever exhibited in northern 

 waters" was continued a long time a pleasing object to the many visitors of the aquarium, 

 and a nearly sole consolation for the loss of the entire cargo of living tropical fishes. One of 

 the most beautiful of the objects saved was a peculiar form of Sea- Anemone, which we had 

 captive in our own aquarium, and which we added to the New York collection. This lived a 

 long time, and was a constant source of admiration. It will be described in the proper place 

 at the end of this volume. 



H 



THE WANDEBING CH^ETODON is an example of a very large genus, comprising about 

 seventy species, all of which are striking from their shape and color. Some of them are 

 almost circular or disc-like in the general contour of their figure, and the arrangement of the 

 markings is very conspicuous. The muzzle is moderate in length, and the scales are rather 

 large in proportion to the dimensions of the body. 



The Wandering Chsetodon is a native of the waters extending from the Red Sea to 

 Polynesia, and is one of the common fishes of the Ceylonese coasts. 



The colors of this fish are very beautiful, and are arranged after a very curious fashion. 

 The ground color of the body is golden- yellow, on which a number of purplish-brown lines are 

 drawn. Some which start from the upper edge of the gill-cover are drawn obliquely towards 

 the centre of the dorsal fin, and from the last of these lines a number of streaks issue nearly at 

 right angles, take a slight sweep downwards, and then converge towards the tail. From the 

 upper part of the head a broad black band descends to the angle of the interoperculum, and 

 envelops the eye in its progress. The dorsal fin has a narrow black edge, and a black band 

 extends along the soft portion of the same fin, crosses the tail, and is continued on the anal 

 fin, which has a black and white edge. Two bold black bands are drawn across the tail. It 

 is not a.large species, rarely exceeding one foot in length. 



A MOST remarkable species is called, from the form of its mouth, the BEAKED 

 CH^TODON. 



The curiously elongated muzzle is employed by this fish in a rather unexpected manner, 

 being used as a gun or bow, a drop of water taking the place of the arrow or bullet. Perhaps 

 the closest analogy is with the celebrated " sumpitan," or blow-gun, of the Maconshi Indians, 

 a tube through which an arrow is driven by the force of the breath. The Beaked Chaetodon 

 feeds largely on flies and other insects, but is not forced to depend, as is the case with nearly 

 every other fish, on the accidental fall of its prey into the water. If it sees a fly or other 

 insect resting on a twig or grass-blade that overhangs the water, the Chsetodon approaches 

 very quietly, the greater part of its body submerged, and its nose just showing itself above 

 the surface, the point directed towards the victim. Suddenly, it shoots a drop of water at the 

 fly with such accuracy of aim, that the unsuspecting insect is knocked off its perch, and is 

 snapped up by the fish as soon as it touches the surface of the water. 



This habit it continues even in captivity, and is in consequence in great estimation as 

 a houshold pet by the Japanese. They keep the fish in a large bowl of water, and amuse 

 themselves by holding towards it a fly upon the end of a slender rod, and seeing the finny 

 archer strike its prey into the water. Another fish, which will be described in the following 

 pages, possesses the same faculty, but is not so remarkable for its eccentric form and the bold 

 beauty of its tints. 



