2i6 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



■^ 



rh,lo ty W Sji'illi-Kinl, F.Z.S.] 



THE MISCALLED ARCHER-FISH 



So named en account oj iti iuftposcd habit lij shooting ivatcr at ii 



[Mfl'irJ-on-Sia 



Emperor-fish, which ranges 

 from the east coast of Africa 

 to the Indian and Malayan 

 seas. The ground-colour of 

 the body is deep blue, relieved 

 b_\' some thirt\' golden-_\'e!lovV 

 stripes running from the 

 shoulder backwards to the 

 tail. Crossing the head is 

 a crescent-shaped bar of black 

 edged with yellow, whilst a 

 similarly coloured patch runs 

 upward from the pectoral fins 

 to within a short distance of 

 the top of the back. This 

 species, which attains a length 

 of 15 inches, is hi ghl\- esteemed 

 for food in India. The most beautiful of all, perhajjs, is the zebra-fish of the Indo-Mala}-an 

 seas, which has the ground-colour of yellow, striped with vertical bars of blue edged with 

 brown, a yellow tail, and an anal fin barred with narrow blue lines. 



A tubed-shaped mouth is a common feature of the fishes of this group, and two Indian 

 species in which this character is especially well developed have acquired the habit of shooting 

 therefrom a drop of water at insects resting on overhanging foliage fringing the sea or along 

 the banks of rivers. Having sighted its quarry, it would seem the fish moves ujnvards to 

 the surface of the water, and with careful aim ejects its liquid bullet with such unerring 

 precision that its prey is invariably knocked down and speedily seized. On this account these 

 fishes arc commonly known as Archer-FIsiies. The archer-fishes are sometimes kept in 

 tubs of water, for the purpose of affording amusement to their captors. Somehow the 

 shooting prowess of these fishes has been accredited to an allied form, shown in the above 

 photograph. 



The pecviliar shape of these fishes is sufficiently indicated by the photograph already 

 mentioned, but a large series would be necessary to show the numerous variations, some of 

 which are quite remarkable. The brilliancj- of the coloration is probably protecti\e, since the 

 most brightly coloured forms li\e amongst coral-reefs built by gorgeous polyps, or coral-animals, 

 .->o that amidst such surround- 



ings the fishes are quite in- 

 conspicuous. 



The Red Mullets occur 

 chiefly in tropical seas, but 

 one species inhabits European 

 waters, and occur sparsely 

 around the British Islands. 

 Occasionally, however, these 

 fishes visit the British coasts in 

 vast shoals, more than 5,000 

 having been taken in a single 

 night in August, 1819, in 

 Weymouth Bay, whilst in 

 May, 185 I, 10,000 were taken 

 off Yarmouth in one week. 



Although about forty 



species of red 



luUc 



are 



Pholc h If. SavMi-Krnt, f.Z. S] [Milpri-m Sie 



STRIPED RED MULLET 



The head is ornamemed luith hrilliant blue and X'iolet stripes 



