i88o3 At Santa Barbara 



boat one could see every movement. Since then I Flying 

 have watched the hight of numerous species of ^^^^^ 

 Cypselurus, large and small, in both the Atlantic 

 and the Pacihc, and my later observations con- 

 firm our first conclusions, although none of the others 

 have the force or spread of "wing" of calijornicus, 

 the largest known. This flies for distances varying 

 from a few rods to upward of an eighth of a mile, 

 rarely rising more than from four to six feet. All Method 

 movements below the surface are extremely rapid, °j. ^^ 

 but the sole source of motive power in water or 

 out is the impulse given by the powerful tail, which 

 vibrates rapidly and strongly until the whole body 

 has emerged. While this motion continues, however, 

 the pectorals or wings seem to be also in a state of 

 rapid vibration, — a fallacious appearance, as they 

 are simply shaken by the general agitation, the ani- 

 mal having ability only to spread and fold them. 

 The ventrals remain folded until the tail leaves the 

 water and becomes quiet, at which time both pec- 

 torals and ventrals are spread, then held at rest. 

 They thus serve, not as actual wings, but rather as 

 parachutes to hold up the body. When the fish 

 drops and touches the surface, tail vibration again 

 begins — with it, also, the apparent movement of 

 the pectorals. Flight is now resumed, to be finished 

 finally for the moment in a big splash. 



In the air Flying Fishes look like large dragon 

 flies. Their progress is very swift, at first in a 

 straight line but later deflected into a curve, and 

 always without relation to the direction of the wind. 

 When a vessel passes through a school, they spring 

 up before it, moving away in all directions like 

 grasshoppers in a meadow. Off Walpole Island in 



I 209 3 



