NATURAL HISTORY. 



343 



1 Thick in yon stream of light, a thousand ways, 

 Upward, and downward, thwarting, and convolv'd, 

 The quivering nations sport." THOMSON. 



those which parrots occupy in tropical forests : they even excel 

 the parrots in brilliancy while living. All the colours have a 

 metallic lustre, and though some of them are of one very intense 

 colour, as golden, yellow, ultra-marine, or rich bronze, when the 

 fish is at rest ; yet, when it moves, they are irridescent, and 

 sparkle with gem-like lustre. The chcetodon striatus is sometimes 

 called the zebra, on account of its beautiful stripes. 



1108. What, peculiarity does the structure and habits of 

 globe fishes present ? 



These fishes possess the power 

 of distending themselves into 

 globular form, by inflating with air 

 a large sac contained in the 

 abdomen. When thus distended, 

 they float along the water with the 

 back downwards, swimming on- 

 wards by means of their pectoral 

 fins. They are covered with ;i 

 series of large spines ; which are 

 raised up when the body is thus 

 inflated, so as to form a veiy 

 efficient means of defence. 



1108. Wliy is the upper jaw of the sword-fish elongated into 

 * blade-like weapon ? 

 The sword-fish inhabits seas where the monsters of the deep, 



sharks, and thresliers abound Here these monsters battle 



