ADAPTATIONS .^^^o 



the stinging tentacles of tlie roituguese man-of-war or under 

 ordinary jelly fishes. 



Some fishes called tiie flying fishes sail througii the air with 

 a grasshopperhke motion tliat closely iinitates true fliglit. 

 The long pectoral fins, winglike in form, cuimot, however, be 

 flapped by the fish, the muscles serving only to expand or fold 

 them. These flshes live in the open sea or ojumi channels, 

 swimming in large schools. The small species fly for a few 



■ann i . .. r ~ ■ — • -— — . ^, 



-r 



4^^-- 



V- s 



Fig. 196. — Flying fi.slies: 'I'lie upijcr one. a species of Ci/pselnrKs; the lower, of 

 Exocoetus. These fishes escape from their enemies by leai)inK into the air 

 and sailing or "flying" i<jng ilistances. 



feet only, the large ones for more than an eighth of a mile. 

 These mav rise five to twentv feet above the water. 



The flight of one of the largest flying fishes {Ci/pselurus cali- 

 fornicus) has been carefully studied by Dr. Cliarles H. Gilbert 

 and the senior author. The movements of the fish in the water 

 are extremely ra})id. The sole motive power is the action 

 under the water of the strong tail. No force can be acquired 

 while the fish is in the air. On rising from the water the move- 

 ments of the tail are continuous until the whole body is out of 

 the water. When the tail is in motion the ])ect()rals seem in 

 a state of rai)id vibration. This is not ])roduced by muscular 

 action on the fins themselves. It is the body of the fish which 

 vil^rates, the pectorals })rojecting farthest having the greatest 

 ami)litude of movement. \Vliile the tail is in the water tlie 



