344 THE REASON WHY. 



' Straight as above the surface of the flood 

 They wanton rise, or, urg'd by hunger, leap, 

 Then fix, with gentle twitch, the barbed hook." THOMSON. 



with each other ; and the sword-fish, being among the smaller of 

 the races, is armed with a weapon which makes him as formidable 

 as the larger and more powerful kinds. 



1109. The sword-fish living, at least in part, upon the bodies of fishes larg-er than 

 itself, uses its formidable weapon to lacerate and divide their substance intc 

 convenient morsels. 



The prolonged snout forms an excellent <x>t-water when the fish makes its arro-,v- 

 like darts through the water ; and the powerful tail is calculated to drive home the 

 weapon with enormous force. 



1110. Why is the "John Dory" so called? 



This name evidently arises from a corrupt pronunciation of a 

 French term, designating the colour of the lighter parts of the fish, 

 which is yellow, with metallic reflections, and, ^therefore, styled 

 jaune doree, or golden yellow. 



1111. Why are some fishes provided with an apparatus 

 resembling a boy"s sucker? 



Because, by pressing this organ again&t any surface they are 

 enabled to retain their hold without using teeth or fins ; and by 

 this means retain their position in the water at the same time 

 that they catch their food. 



1112. The lump-fish fastens itself by an apparatus on the lower part of its bod]', 



while the sucking-fish Mas a similar 

 provision on his baek, by which it 

 attaches itself to the shark, or to 

 whatever is afloat, or the bottom of - 

 ships. In the cuttle-fish there is to 

 be seen a modification of the same 

 kind of apparatus, which can be 

 turned by the animal in any direc- 

 tion, either to fix itself or to drag 

 itself from place to place. There is 

 another fish, called the " Harlequin 

 angler." The appearance of this 

 fish is grotesque and singular; th 

 pectoral fins resemble short arms, and are palmated at their tips. These fins ar 

 converted into feet, and the fish has be< n known to live ,hree days out of watc^ 

 nd walk about like a dog.* 



* Bell on the Hand. . 



