FISHES. 267 



Coast of Cornwall is now found to be most abundant 

 in the seas around New Holland. Flying fish 

 (Exocoetus), flying gurnards (Dactylopterus), and 

 flying scorpions or fire fish (Pterois), affect tropical 

 seas, and the first mentioned alone spreads over the 

 warmer temperate regions, though there are known 

 about six species of Exocoetus, both those frequenting 

 the Mediterranean are also seen in the Pacific and 

 American Seas ; and wherever flying fish are found, 

 Coryphense (the dolphins of Seamen) are sure to 

 follow them. 



Towards the polar circles, but more particularly 

 in the temperate latitudes of both hemispheres, there 

 are periodical extensions of residence among the 

 coasting species, regulated by the course of the sun 

 towards either side of the tropics. It is particularly 

 observable, where a great current sets from a warm 

 towards a cold latitude ; as in the gulf stream of 

 ' Florida ; where the tepid waters only partially de- 

 positing their alluvial matter on the Bahamas, rush 

 onward, till they are checked by the counter current 

 of the St. Lawrence and the icy influx from the Pole, 

 and form, with the deposits of all the eastern rivers 

 of the United States, the sandy precipitation of the 

 banks of Newfoundland. The tropical fishes carried 

 along in this current, without sensible diminution of 

 temperature, divide nevertheless at the first men- 

 tioned deposit (Bahamas), where the coasting species 

 and those which frequent soundings remain ; while 

 the truely pelagic Thynnus, Caranx, Temnodon, 

 the Squali and even Exocetus, proceed to the se- 

 cond, where they are met by the polar colonies of 

 Gadi and Clupese, and encounter the resident Pleu- 

 ronectes'^, also with the summer season the species 



* I have witnessed the taking of a flying fish on the 23d. Sep- 

 tember, 1816, on the same day that we passed two icebergs, 

 at no great distance from the island of Sable, near Halifax. The 

 summer progress of the tropical fish, by this current, may also 

 induce an occasional phaeton to pursue them, I have figured 

 the variety of P. (I'Ahereus, or rather a new species in Griffith's 

 "Animal Kingdom," from one sliot off New York. 



