534 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



other tishes to hunt it up for them, as we use pointers and setters, such 

 as the little Pilot-fish, which leads the huge shark to his prey ; though 

 this has been disputed, because the pilot-fish has been known to follow 

 and play about a vessel just as it does usually about the body of a 

 shark. The probability is, that the pilot-fish is a species of parasite or 

 diner-out, who will make particular friends with any big person who 

 will feed him, and no doubt would find food in the refuse cast from the 

 vessel, even as he would from the fragments torn off by the shark when 

 feeding on any large body. Doubtless, too, there is a certain amount 

 of protection obtained from consorting with monsters against other 

 predacious fish. The fact of the pilot-fish conducting the shark to his 

 prey has been disputed, but veritable instances related by eye-wit- 

 nesses leave no doubt that at times it does fulfil this office for the shark. 

 Nor is there any thing singular in the fact. The pilot-fish is on the 

 lookout for his own dinner probably, but will not venture on it until 

 his protector has helped himself. We have numerous instances of this 

 both in human and beast life. 



In weapons of offence, besides the shooting apparatus already men- 

 tioned, fish have, first, the sword. This is represented by the blade 

 of the sword-fish [Xiphias gladius). This fish possesses a tremendous- 

 ly powerful weapon, backed as it is by the great weight and impetus 

 which it can bring to bear upon its thrusts. Many instances have 

 been known in which the bottoms of ships have been pierced through 

 by the sword of the Xiphias. Ships sailing quietly along have re- 

 ceived a shock as if they had touched a rock, and, when they have been 

 examined after the voyage, the broken blade of the fish has been found 

 sticking in the ship's side. In the United Service Museum there is, or 

 was formerly, a specimen of the sword-fish's handiwork in this respect. 

 A portion of the weapon is shown sticking into the timbers of a ship, 

 having pierced the sheathing and planking, and buried itself deeply in 

 the stout oak knee-timber of the vessel. Xiphias would, however, be 

 terribly bothered with the change in naval architecture; and we are 

 inclined to wonder what he would make of an iron-clad. Perhaps a 

 little rough experience in this direction may make him more chary 

 of indulging naughty tempers, and he may be taught qua Dr. Watts 

 that, like little children, he " should not let his angry passions rise." 

 If so, the cause of humanity will be strongly pleaded by the iron-clads, 

 and the poor, clumsy, harmless whale will be the gainer. The xiphias 

 frequently weighs 500 or 600 pounds. The rapidity with which 

 it can cut through the water is very great. It is a great enemy to 

 the whale, and it is generally surmised that it mistakes a ship sail- 

 ing through the water for a whale, and dashes at it with indiscrimi- 

 nating rage, often breaking and losing its sword by its blind fury. 

 Persons bathing have not always been entirely safe from this fish, but 

 have been stabbed to death by the xiphias. One instance of this oc- 

 curred in the Bristol Channel, near the mouth of the Severn, in which 



