SOFT-RAYED BONY FISHES 105 



open ocean at considerable distances from the nearest land. 

 No fossil members of the family are known. 



About fifty species are recognized, and are grouped into 

 some four or five genera. At least one species occasionally 

 visits the coasts of the British Isles, more especially during 

 the summer months. 



Being of comparatively small size, it may well be asked 

 why these fishes find a place in this book. Since, however, 

 they may be met with in every tropical and subtropical sea, 

 and so commonly attract the attention of the ocean voyager, 

 space may be found for a brief account of their form and 

 habits. Moreover, they play an important part in the 



Fig. 37. — How a Flying-fish dies. 



economy of many giant oceanic fishes, being the principal 

 food of such fishes as the dolphins, tunnies, bonitoes and 

 albacores. 



All the Flying-fishes are gregarious — that is to say, they 

 keep together in. schools, sometimes of considerable size. They 

 mostly swim at or near the surface, and often spring out of 

 the water and skip or glide through the air for some distance. 

 They feed mainly upon small crustaceans and tiny fishes of 

 all kinds. 



There can be little doubt that the prolonged flight of the 

 Flying-fish represents an improvement upon the spasmodic 

 leap of the Gar-fish or Half -beak, and it is from fishes very 

 like the latter that the true Flying-fishes must have originally 

 sprung. It may be noted that the most primitive member 

 of the family, the Sharp-nosed Flying-fish (Fodiator acutus), 

 has comparatively short pectoral fins and small pelvics, and 



