J 07 



THE ORIENTAL DACTYLOPTERUS. 

 Dactylopterus orientalis, Cuv. & Val. 



PLATE VIL 



And whicli, along with the Sciena volitans and a 

 few others, were said to fly above the surface of 

 the waves. There seems, however, no authority 

 for any thing farther than a leap, which the large 

 fins enable them to sustain for some time. It has 

 been taken on the coast of the Isle of France. 

 Among the Scorjywnce and Exoceti, or flying-fishes, 

 where the develop ement reaches its utmost extent, 

 the power is occasionally used as affbrding a means 

 of escape from impending danger, through the 

 medium of another element. In the Scorpcence, 

 the whole apparatus of fins presents extraordinary 

 developement, and that of the pectoral often reaches 

 beyond the insertion of the tail. This is the 

 structure of the S. volitans of the Indian seas ; and 

 the web which connects the rays is cut into, or 

 divided for half its length, so as, with little power 

 of imagination, to resemble the quills in the wing 

 of a bird. None of these species, however, appear 

 to leave their native element, although the appella- 



