332 



ABDOMINAL SOFT-FINNED FISHES. 



feet in length, and weighed three hundred and fifty pounds. This 

 monster was as remarkable for its great age as for its size, for there 

 was found upon it a gilt copper ring, bearing this inscription — " I 



Fig. 262.— the pike. 



was the first fish that was thrown into this pond by the hands of 

 Frederick II„ Oct. 5, 1230 ;" it was consequently at least two hundred 

 and sixty-seven years old. The growth of these fish is very rapid ; 

 the first year tbey are often ten or eleven inches in length, and in 

 the second fifteen. 



The Sea Pike [Esox belone),* also known as the Gar-fish, Spit-fish, 

 and Bill-fish, belongs to this family. 



Fig. 263.— the gar-fish. 



The Flying Fishes {Exocetus)f belong to the same family as the 

 Pikes, and are recognised, at first sight, by the excessive length of 

 tlieir pectoral fins, which are long enough to serve them as wings, 

 and to sustain them for a few seconds in the air. They swim in shoals, 

 and are pursued by legions of voracious enemies, to escape from 

 which they spring out of the water, but soon fall again, because 

 their wings only serve them as a parachute. While on their aerial 

 course, they often become the prey of sea-birds. It is a beautiful 



* jSeAovTj, belone, a needle or spear-head. 



t e/c, ek, outside ; Koirt], coite, a bed, so called because these fishes 

 were supposed to sleep on land. 



