Flyiiif/ Fish, and their Pursuers. 1 1 1 



of from 50 to 100 yards, and at the same time change the 

 direction of their flight in exactly the same way as grasshoppers. 

 It seems, however, to be neither pleasure nor want of food 

 that drives these creatures from their own element. They 

 have numerous enemies, of which the principal is the 

 bonita {Scomber Falamy) ; whenever flying-fish were seen 

 the bonitas likewise made their appearance ; we often saw 

 the latter darting out of the water and snapping at a flying-fish, 

 when, if they did not succeed, they were perceived hastening 

 under water in the same direction that their prey was taking. 

 But the flying-fish is quite aware of the movement of the 

 enemy, and, therefore, sometimes turns back abruptly, evi- 

 dently with a view of dodging his pursuer. The advantage 

 of the wings is, however, more apparent than real, for 

 whilst they escape by these means from the bonitas, dorados, 

 and dolphins, they fall a sacrifice to the seagulls and man- 

 of-war birds {Tachypetes aquilus), which reach them like 

 arrows shot from a bow, before they are able to conceal 

 themselves again in the ocean. Those which were seen on 

 the north of the equator, were invariably of the smaller kind 

 {Exocoetus volitans) ; whilst in the south, also, the larger 

 species (^Exoccetus exulans) made their appearance. They 

 often drop during the night on the decks of small vessels 

 with low bows, but on the Novara, which rose about 20 feet 

 over the surface of the water, this was not possible ; however, 

 some fell upon the chains, which were caught and preserved 

 in alcohol by the zoologists. 



