The Pilot-Fish. 



429 



fishes as it happens to find on the fishermen's hooks, and 

 which consequently have lost the power of escaping its 

 attack ; and gnawing its way through the skin, will de- 

 vour all the internal parts, leaving only the bones and 

 the skin. If put into a large vessel of sea- water, it is said 

 in a very short space to render the whole water so glu- 

 tinous that it may easily be drawn out in the form of 

 threads." 



III. Bony Fishes. 



THE PILOT-FISH. (Naucrates ductor.) 



THE body of this fish is long, the head compressed, 

 rounding off in front, without scales as far as the oper- 

 culum. The mouth is small, the jaws of equal length, 

 and furnished with small teeth ; the palate has a curved 

 row of similar teeth in front, and the tongue has teeth all 

 along. The colour varies in several species. The Pilot- 

 fish will frequently attend a ship during its course at sea 

 for weeks, or even months together ; and there are many 

 curious stories told respecting its habits, in occasionally 

 directing a shark where to find a good meal, and also in 

 warning him how to avoid a dangerous bait. Whether 

 this be true or not will be difficult to determine ; but it 

 is certain that this little fish is generally found in com^ 

 pany with the shark, and picks up the smaller pieces of 

 food which his predatory master drops, either by accident 

 or design. 



