THE PHILOSOPHY OF XESURUS 291 



would up-end like ducks, and begin to graze. 

 From a long, crowded mass of blue fish, they 

 changed, as one, to an army of banners — a maze 

 of fluttering, golden flags, all crowded close, all 

 furling and unfurling, lighting up the flat spot 

 where the surgeons fed, as a clump of goldenrod 

 will catch and glorify a sun's beam, and toss it 

 back to rejoice our eyes. 



As I have said, they were the most fearless of 

 all the fish of these waters, and when a few moved 

 over to look at me one by one, all the rest shifted, 

 and the first had to move on, if only to make room 

 for the scores pressing up. Once when I was sur- 

 rounded by a herd of yellow-tails I chose a com- 

 fortable seat, and deliberately studied their 

 architecture with appraising eyes. Every line and 

 profile and character seemed a perfect adaptation 

 to their feeding habits. The high, compressed 

 body, almost surrounded by fins, with an extremely 

 mobile, caudal peduncle, allowing the tail to turn 

 at right angles to the body, all helped to sustain, 

 or to shift the fish quickly against the surge or to 

 hold it steady while the grazing went on. I never 

 realized so fully the stiff, immobile quality of the 

 whole body of the fish. It could roll its eyes, 

 twist its tail and bend very slightly, but the teeth 

 and jaws were without other than vertical move- 

 ment. The entire lack of a neck made it necessary 

 for every fin to help with each bite, pressing and 

 holding it firmly while the teeth scraped and closed, 

 then drawing back slightly, while the food was 

 ingested and swallowed, immediately shifting 



