104 GIANT FISHES 



inshore, but at the end of their first summer they congregate 

 into shoals and move out to sea. 



As food the Gar-fishes are quite good, and considerable 

 numbers appear in the fish-markets. A curious feature of all 

 these fishes is the bright green colour of the bones, which 

 remains even after cooking. Some people object to eating 

 them on this account, but such fears are quite groundless, as 

 the flesh is quite wholesome and well-flavoured. When first 

 captured, Gar-fishes emit a very strong and peculiar smell, but 

 this soon passes off after death. 



The Common Gar-fish has been given a number of popular 

 names, of which " sword-fish ", " green-bone ", " horn-fish ", 

 " needle-fish ", " long-nose ", " gore-bill ", and " mackerel- 

 guide " may be mentioned. 



FLYING-FISHES. 



(Family Exocoetid,e.) PI. IV a, b ; fig. 37. 



Soft-rayed Bony-fishes belonging to the same Order as 

 the Gar-fishes and Half -beaks. The body is never very long, 

 and is covered with smooth scales of moderate size, that may 

 be rather easily detached. The head is blunt in front, the 

 mouth is of moderate size, and the jaws are never drawn out 

 to form a " beak ". The teeth are small and feeble. The 

 dorsal and anal fins are placed more or less opposite to each 

 other on the hinder part of the body. The caudal fin is 

 forked, and the lower lobe is always longer than the upper. 

 The pectoral fins are placed high up on the sides, and are 

 greatly enlarged, sometimes reaching as far back as the tail. 

 The pelvic fins are placed a little behind the middle of the 

 length of the body, and are sometimes enlarged to a consider- 

 able degree. The lateral line runs low down along the side 

 of the belly. There is a very large air-bladder. The Golora- 

 tion of the adults is metallic blue or bluish-green on the back, 

 shading to silvery white beneath ; the fins are more or less 

 transparent, but the pectorals and pelvics are often barred, 

 blotched or spotted with black or brown, and dark spots or 

 blotches may be present on one or more of the other fins. 

 Flying-fishes are found in all warm seas, mostly in the 



