PISCES— FLYING-FISH. 737 



THE FLYING-FISH.* 



The body of this fish is oblong ; the head is almost three cornered ; the fin 

 covering the gills with ten rays ; the pectoral fin placed high, and as long as 

 the whole body ; the back fin at the extremity of the back. The tail is 

 bifurcated. As it is a small animal, seldom growing above the size of a 

 herring, it is chiefly sought by the dorado. Nature has furnished each respec- 

 tively with the powers of pursuit and evasion. The dorado being above six 

 feet long, yet not thicker than a salmon, and furnished with a full comple- 

 ment of fins, cuts its way through the water, with amazing rapidity ; od the 

 other hand, the flying-fish is furnished with two pair of fins, longer than 

 the body, and these also moved by a stronger set of muscles than any other. 

 This equality of power seems to furnish one of the most entertaining spec- 

 tacles those seas can exhibit. The efforts to seize on the one side, and the 

 arts of escaping on the other, are perfectly amusing. The dorado is seen, 

 upon this occasion, darting after its prey, which will not leave the water, 

 while it has the advantage of swimming, in the beginning of the chase. 

 But, like a hunted hare, being tired at last, it then has recourse to another 

 expedient for safety, by flight. The long fins, which began to grow useless 

 in the water, are now exerted in a different manner and different direction 

 to that in which they were employed in swimming; by this means the timid 

 little animal rises from the water, and flutters over its surface, for two or 

 three hundred yards, till the muscles employed in moving the wings, are 

 enfeebled by that particular manner of exertion. By this time, however, 

 they have acquired a fresh power of renewing their efforts in the water, and 

 the animal is capable of proceeding with some velocity by swimming; still, 

 however the active enemy keeps it in view, and drives it again from the 

 deep ; till at length, the poor little creature is seen to dart to shorter dis- 

 tances, to flutter with greater effort, and to drop down at last into the mouth 

 of its fierce pursuer. But not the dorado alone — all animated nature seems 

 combined against this little fish, which seems possessed of double powers, 

 only to be subject to greater dangers ; for, though it should escape from its 



^ l Exocetuserolans, Bloch. The genus Exocetus has the head covered with scales ; ten 

 rays in the bronchial membrane; eyes large; jaws furnished with small pointed teeth 

 and the pharyngeal bones with fiat ones ; prctoral fins as long as the body. 



93 62* 



