364 FISHES. 



be a Hairtail of some kind.) These occurrences have been 

 confined to the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, and there 

 seems to be some probability of a single Irish example. 

 The length of specimens taken in British waters has been 

 'under 6 feet, nor does it anywhere appear to exceed this. 



CHAPTER VIII. THE GARFISH AND 

 FLYING-FISH. 



This group finds a different place in every succeeding 

 scheme. For the purposes of the present elementary work, 

 however, it may be introduced here. 



The well-known silvery-and-green eel-like Garfish, though 

 excellent eating, is the object of a ridiculous prejudice, the 

 Garfish or outcome of the green colour of its bones. The 

 Guardfish. roo f o f t h e mou th is, as I have often had occa- 

 sion to know, extremely hard. When hooked, this fish has 

 a curious habit, also observed in sharks, of making straight 



for the surface, even leaping into the air in its attempts 

 to shake out the hook. Its food consists of small fish, 

 which are pursued with long leaps at the surface. It is 

 also characterised by a strong, unpleasant odour, peculiarly 

 its own. From the great length of its beak it is known 

 as the " Long Nose," while its arrival and departure with 

 the mackerel has obtained for it the local title of " Mack- 

 erel guide." The migrations of this fish are as yet im- 

 perfectly understood, all we know being that it is absent 

 from our coast in winter. 



