PREHENSILE TAILS OF PIPE-FISH. 



IGO 



with a fin, swim like other fish, chiefly by the help of 

 strokes of the tail ; while the ophidial pipe-fish, as they 

 are called, have a long, roundish, tapering, and very 

 flexible tail, which is generally kept still when swimming, 

 and may be regarded as a helm rather than an oar. The 

 creature entwines this supple tail with great dexterity 

 around any object that may be at hand, and may be 

 seen holding fast in this manner whenever any con- 

 venient thing i^resents itself ; but when no such support 

 is near to serve the purpose, several individuals placed 

 in the same vessel will entwine their tails together, and 

 thus form concatenated groups. The grasp of this fish's 

 tail reminds one somewhat of the spider-monkey. 



The iEquoreal Pipe-fish {Syngnathus aquoreus) appears 

 to be very rare. The Cornish fishermen report that they 

 have seen it far out at sea, swimming at the surface, 

 over a great depth. 



The Snake Fii^e- fish {Syngnathus OpJiidion ; German: 

 Meerschlange) is much rounder and more slender than 

 the former ; its body scarcely exceeding the thickness 

 of a goose-quill, and it has a remarkably long, narrow 

 tail. 



SNAKE PIPE-FISH [Syngiiatlius ophidian). 



Although destitute of the abdominal pouch, there is 

 provision made in this genus for the performance of a 

 function similar to that which is executed by the mar- 

 supial fishes. It appears that the eggs are carried, for 

 a time, by the male parent fish, in small ceUs or 



