144 



THE FLYING FISH. 



All animals are provided with some 

 means of protection from the attacks 

 of their enemies and with ways of es- 

 caping from any object which they 

 may fear. The means furnished to the 

 Flying Fishes is one of the most unique 

 and interesting. 



To escape the larger fishes that prey 

 upon them, or when frightened by a 

 passing vessel, these fishes will rise 

 from the surface of the water and with 

 distended but quiet fins pass over a dis- 

 tance of several feet. They have been 

 known to rise to a height of twelve or 

 more feet and fly for one hundred or 

 more yards, although the height and 

 distance traveled is usually much less. 

 This power of flight is due to the great 

 development of the breast (pectoral) 

 fins, situated on the sides of the body 

 near the head. 



Some writers have stated that these 

 fishes left the watfer for the purpose of 

 catching insect food and that they had 

 the power of regulating their flight by 



the movement of their fins. The best 

 authorities, however, claim that they 

 do not possess the power of changing 

 the direction, velocity, or altitude of 

 their flight and the position of the fins 

 is not voluntarily changed, and that 

 their object in leaving the water is not 

 for food. 



They rise without reference to the 

 direction of the wind or waves, and fre- 

 quently, when their course is at an 

 angle with the wind, the direction of 

 their flight may be changed by the 

 air currents or by contact with the 

 waves. The direction is also modified, 

 when passing close to the water, by im- 

 mersing the tail fin and moving it with 

 a rudder like motion. 



There are two groups of Flying 

 Fishes, both natives of tropical and 

 sub-tropical seas. In one of the groups 

 there are less than five species, while 

 classed under the other there are fifty 

 or more. 



EDITOR'S NOTE. 



On account of inaccuracies in the report of Mr. Chapman's lecture, 

 which was quoted in the June number of this Magazine, it is only due to 

 Mr. Chapman that we publish the following letter received from him: 



To THE Editor of Birds and Nature: 



Dear Sir: — In the June issue of your magazine there appeared an alleged abstract 

 from a lecture by me on the "Structure and Habits of Birds," which so abounds in 

 errors that I beg you will permit me to state that the matter published was a newspaper 

 report, for which I am in no way responsible. Yours respectfully, 



Frank M. Chapman. 



