122 ACANTHOPTERYGII. SCOMBRID^, 



it in both of its phases. In the warmer parts of 

 the Atlantic we have frequently watched with 

 delight, some two or three of these little fishes, 

 playing under the stern from day to day, attend- 

 ing the ship on her course through many degrees 

 of longitude ; always conspicuous in their livery 

 of dark blue bands across a silvery-grey ground, 

 as they turned hither and thither, and hurried 

 to and fro in the " dead-water" between the 

 rudder and the ship's counter, sometimes shoot- 

 ing out a yard or two after some swimming atom, 

 and then darting back to the favourite corner. 

 The singularly unequal friendship subsisting be- 

 tween this little fish and the terrible White Shark 

 we have also many times observed, and never 

 without astonishment and admiration. Once, 

 during a long calm, in a voyage to the Gulf of 

 Mexico, as well as both before and after its pre- 

 valence, these hateful fishes were perpetually steal- 

 ing round the ship ; but we do not recollect ever 

 having seen a Shark of any considerable size, 

 without one or more of these Pilots attending 

 him. This little creature generally keeps his 

 station just over the head of the Shark, but some- 

 times over one of the pectoral fins, within an 

 inch or two of his body, turning when he turns, 

 stopping when he stops, and never leaving him, 

 except to swim a-head to examine some bait. 

 Having examined it, he instantly returns and re- 

 sumes his place. It would really appear as if 

 some communication took place between them, 

 for the Shark, who before seemed quite unaware 

 of the proximity of any food, on the return of 

 the Pilot-fish instantly quickens his motion and 

 bustles towards it. But an instance still more 



