65 



and had an opportunity to observe its motions. Its favorite position 

 was on the bottom of the dish, where it would remain with its pectorals 

 and veutrals widely expanded, looking very like a large butterfly sun- 

 ning itself on a flower. When disturbed, it would fold its fins close to 

 the sides of its body, and swim about with great velocity b^^ rapid, long, 

 sweeping strokes of the tail and posterior half of the body. The extent 

 to which it flexed its body was quite remarkable, almost reminding one 

 of the motions of a Shark. When much excited, it would rise into the 

 air with a sudden spring, its pectorals and ventrals expanded, seeming 

 to have no difficulty in leaving the water in a space less than a foot in 

 diameter : I am inclined to believe that the impetus from the action of 

 the caudal is all that is used in leaving the water, and that the motion 

 of the pectorals in flying-fishes is not begun until the fish is fairly in 

 the air. It seemed very timid and watchful, and any quick motion of 

 the hand within its sight would start it into rapid, nervous action. 



The figures given by Lesueur and Edwards* are very accurate; but all 

 published descriptions fail to mention the most striking character, 

 viz, the deep notch in the membrane between the second and third 

 pectoral rays, which seems the more apparent from the fact that the 

 second ray is longer than the third, and projects in a spine-like jirocess ; 

 the membrane between the third and fourth rays is slightly emargi- 

 nate. The fourth ray is much the longest and the rays posterior to 

 that regularly decrease in length. 



The Bermuda fishermen recognize two kinds of flying-fish, the pelagic 

 variety and this, which they believe to live among the sea- weed and 

 seldom leave the water. The specimens of this species on record are 

 all quite small : Gmelin describes his as '■'■at vix digito longior^^; Lesueur's 

 was three inches long; Valencienne's was '^petite^^; and Edwards's figure 

 indicates that his was diminutive. They may prove to be the young of 

 some other species ; but this is not probable, since no other form has 

 pectorals of such peculiar form. The absence of barbels, if this be a 

 character of immature Exocoetidcc, is also noteworthy. 



A detailed description is given below : — 



Kadial formula: D. 12; A. 12; P. 18; V. G; L. lat. 48. 



The body is slender, its height being less than one-eighth (0.12) of the 

 total length. Viewed from above, its outline is that of a narrow wedge, 

 with its base at the nape and its apex at the extremity of the lower 

 cnudal lobe. The greatest width of the body is at the nape, where it is 



* Gleauings in Natural History, pi, ccx. 

 5 F 



