like so many toys made of Venetian glass were seen all 

 day long, not to be seen again during the whole voyage. 



On this same day I saw the first flying fishes. They 

 were of large size, at least twice as large as a herring 

 apparently, with fine clear hJue "wings" and long tails. 



They were not numerous and were seen in twos or 

 threes together as they jumped out of the water sidewards 

 in front of the vessel where the ship cleft the water. 



As we were nearing the equator another kind of flying 

 fish appeared. 



They were quite small things which seemed to live in 

 flights of from 10 — 20 or more individuals. They looked 

 very much like flights of swallows skimming over the water. 



The majority had silvertj white wings whilst a good 

 many had 2>«/e blue wings and only a very few had them 

 brick red (these were a little larger). 



As the fishes never left the water exactly where one 

 expected them to come, it was not so very easy to follow 

 the flight of some one fish from the beginning till the 

 end, but I am of opinion that the fish makes a flapping 

 motion with its wings the moment it leaves the water, 

 to keep them extended during the whole of its aerial 

 course only moving them slightly ■ for balance. 



They seem to have the power, when about to go to 

 the water again, to continue their flight for another period 

 if something comes which makes them think this desirable. 



In this same way they are able to rise in the air if a 

 high wave comes unexpectedly in their way so as to fly 

 over it. 



Under all circumstances when the flight has come to 

 an end they drop into the water like a stone getting 

 under at once, and not at first settling on the surface. 



This always came as a sort of a surprise as one would — 

 the fishes looking so much like birds — expect them to 

 fall on the water first, before disappearing under it; but 

 they never did so, nor probably could. 



South of the equator the fishes were not nearly so 

 numei'ous as north of it in the same latitude. 



Notes from the Leyden ]VIuseum, Vol. XX.XV. 



