THE VOYAGE. 31 
squirrel bears tt up in its spring from bough to 
bough. I have never seen the fins vibrated or 
flapped, as all wings invariably are, but, stiff 
and rigid, are extended and still, until the fish 
plunges into the sea. Numbers, beyond all com- 
putation, were constantly seen by us in the air 
together, when chased by predatory fish. The 
flying-fish, as a rule, is about twelve inches in 
length. 
We caught several sharks, and an immense 
hammerhead (Zygana vulgaris), that we could 
not catch, followed us for a very long time. As 
I looked at him sailing along under the stern 
of the ship, I was at a loss to imagine for what 
purpose such a head was given to it; exactly like 
an immense caulking-hammer, with an eye in 
each end; in every other detail of shape, and in 
habits of voracity too, as far as I know, it re- 
sembles the ordinary sharks. That it is so con- 
structed to serve some special purpose in its 
economy there can be no doubt, but what that 
may be, remains to be discovered. We fished 
for albatross with marked success, to be de- 
voured by both men and officers, stuffed as a 
goose; the rag from off the bung of a cask of 
whale-oil, rubbed with an onion and chewed, 
would be mildly flavoured as compared to the 
