THE VOYAGE. 31 



squirrel bears it up in its spring from bough to 

 bough. I have never seen the fins vibrated or 

 flapped, as all wings invariably are, but, stiff 

 and rigid, are extended and still, until the fish 

 plunges into the sea. Numbers, beyond all com- 

 putation, were constantly seen by us in the air 

 together, when chased by predatory fish. The 

 flying-fish, as a rule, is about twelve inches in 

 length. 



We caught several sharks, and an immense 

 hammerhead (Zygana vulgaris}, that we could 

 not catch, followed us for a very long time. As 

 I looked at him sailing along under the stern 

 of the ship, I was at a loss to imagine for what 

 purpose such a head was given to it ; exactly like 

 an immense caulking-hammer, with an eye in 

 each end; in every other detail of shape, and in 

 habits of voracity too, as far as I know, it re- 

 sembles the ordinary sharks. That it is so con- 

 structed to serve some special purpose in its 

 economy there can be no doubt, but what that 

 may be, remains to be discovered. We fished 

 for albatross with marked success, to be de- 

 voured by both men and officers, stuffed as a 

 goose ; the rag from off the bung of a cask of 

 whale-oil, rubbed with an onion and chewed, 

 would be mildly flavoured as compared to the 



