Bizarre Flyings Fish 235 



succulent morsels, as if dropped from heaven. It is 

 doubtful whether, of all the sea-people who do their 

 best to show the sailor the infinite populousness of 

 the sea, there are any for which he feels a greater 

 regard than he does for the Flying-fish ; although, 

 of course, it grieves him to think that, owing to cir- 

 cumstances over which neither of them can exercise 

 any control, he does not see as much of his little friend 

 at table as he would dearly like to. 



Under the head of Flying-fish I must treat of 

 another interesting denizen of the deep sea, which 

 is in very truth a Flying-fish, if far inferior in powers 

 of aerial locomotion to the Exocetus. Two species 

 of this strangely built, but exceedingly pretty fish 

 as regards colour, are quite familiar to dwellers in our 

 own towns, being often seen on the fishmongers' 

 slabs. 



The first is the Red Gurnard {Trigla cuculus), so 

 called as to the second half of its pedantic title, be- 

 cause it emits a sound when captured much like a 

 cuckoo. But it certainly is not fair to call it a deep-sea 

 fish, since it is only found in comparatively shallow 

 waters, on the bottom, where it feeds on Crustacea. 

 It is abundant on our coasts, and in consequence of 

 its cheapness, is not thought nearly as much of as the 

 excellence of its flesh entitles it to be. 



The second is the Sapphirine Gurnard (Trigla 

 hirundo), as quaint in appearance as the first, but 

 even more beautiful as regards colour, a quantity of 

 blue being interspersed with its deep red. 



Now between these two, common as they are in 

 our waters, there is one essential difference ; the 

 second is a ' flying-fish,' the first is not. The first, 

 as any one may test for himself, at a good fishmonger's, 

 has its beautiful fins quite normal in size, the second 



