Les Poissoiis Voiliers. 421 



12 feet long-, whicli lioists a mansail, and often sails in tlie manner 

 of a native boat, and. with considerable swiftness. I liave sent a 

 set of tlie sails liome, as they are beautifully cut and form a model 

 for a fast-sailing boat. Wlien a school of tliese are under sail 

 too;ether they are frequently mistaken for a fleet of native boats."^) 



„The Admiralty Islands were sig-hted on the afternoon of 

 March 3rd. As we sailed along the north coast of the main island, 

 a Swordfish was seen showing- its fins above water. It moved 

 rapidly with a darting- niotion bnt sinuons course. It was apparently 

 about five feet long. The fins sliowed above water, very differently 

 from those of any otlier fish. The broad dorsal fin projected from 

 the water in fiont. and the npper sickle-shaped half of the tail fin 

 projected at an interval behind, and seemed as the fish moved to 

 be chasing the fin in front. The fish was seen to leap out the 

 water several times. It was probably a species of Ilistiopliorns.'-'' -) 



„Nous avons recueilli ici nn antre poisson interessant, un 

 exemplaire de HisHophorus Orientalis, long de 2,68 m. Son nom 

 malais. Ikan layer. a la meme signification qne son nom hollandais 

 ,.Zeil-visch" et que son nom franeais ..voilier". II le doit k sa haute 

 nageoire dorsale. A Taide de cette nageoire, le poisson est en etat 

 de serrer le vent. C'est ce que faisait certainement l'exemplaire que 

 nous avons capture. On le vit, ä diverses reprises, dans le courant 

 de la journee. au voisinage du ..Siboga", faisant saillir sa haute 

 nageoire dorsale au dessus de l'eau." ■^) 



5. Cette disposition est, evidemment. une Adaptation ä la 

 Vie Nectique Pelagique superficielle. 



Repos et deplacement avec economie de force, au moyen de la 

 Dorsale veliforme emergee. — alternant avec la natation active et 

 rapide, ä Taide de la puissante Caudale rhipidicerque echancree. 



1) G. B. C-iOODE, Materials for a history of the Sword-Fish, in: 

 United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries : Report of the Com- 

 miseioner for 1880, Washington 1883, p. 324. 



2) H. N. MOSELEY, Notes by a naturalist on H. M. S. „Challenger", 

 Londres 1892, p. 387. 



3) M. "Weber. Introductiou et description de I'Expedition, in: Siboga- 

 Expeditie, Leyde 1902, p. 110. 



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