D LPH IN-FISH ES. 1 73 



tails. A single dorsal fin extends from the back of the 

 very deep head almost to the caudal fin. As the fishes in- 

 crease in age, this dorsal fin becomes higher in its anterior 

 part. They are most powerful swimmers, congregating in 

 shoals and pursuing the Flying-fishes unceasingly. When- 

 ever possible, they are eagerly captured by sailors, who con- 

 sider the flesh to be of very good flavour. Gimther states 

 that the form of the body and especially of the head, changes 

 considerably with age. Very young specimens from one 

 to six inches in length (which are abundant in the open 

 sea) have the body cylindrical, with the head as broad as 

 it is high. As the fish grows, the body becomes more and 

 more compressed. Of the two "good" species existing, the 

 most important is the Common Dolphin-Fish (Coryphcena 

 hippurus}, which grows to a length of 6 feet. This species 

 has been captured on a number of occasions on the coast 

 of New South Wales. Jordan and Evermann, writing of 

 this family, state that it is the custom of seafaring men 

 before eating them, to test the flesh by putting a piece of 

 silver into the vessel, in which they have been cooked ; it 

 being a common belief, that if the flesh is poisonous the 

 silver will turn black. 



Narratives of ocean voyages abound in descriptions of 

 the beautiful colours of these ''dolphins" and the brilliant 

 changes of hue exhibited by the fishes when they are dying. 

 I have never seen any of these while alive but have handled 

 them soon after death ; and even then the colours were mag- 

 nificent. Giinther gives the following as the colours : 

 ''Silvery-blue above, with markings of a deeper azure, and 

 reflections of pure gold ; the lower parts being lemon-yellow, 

 marked with pale-blue. The pectoral fins are partly lead- 

 colour, partly yellow ; the anal is yellow, the iris of the eye 

 golden." This description of course, however good, can 

 give but a feeble idea of the magnificence of this fish. 



