FLYING-FISH. 



31 



perhaps, but not of propelling the animal in its 

 flight.* 



In fish, the organ of motion for propelling 

 them through the water is the tail, and the fins 

 direct their course ; in bird;^, on the contrary, the 

 wings are the organs of mxOtion, and the tail the 

 rudder. The only use of the extended pectoral 

 fins in the fish is for the purpose of supporting 

 the animal in the air, like a parachute, after it 

 has leaped from the water by some power, which 

 is possessed by fish of much larger size, even 

 the whale. From the structure of the fin, I 

 cannot consider it at all calculated for repeated 

 percussions out of the water, although while in 

 that fluid it continues its natural action un- 

 injured, as it soon dries when brought into con- 

 tact with the air, and the delicacy of the mem- 

 brane between the rays would very readily be- 

 come injured, were the organ similarly exerted 

 in that medium. 



The greatest length of time that I have seen 

 these volatile fish on the fin, has been thirty 

 seconds by the watch, and their longest flight, 

 mentioned by Captain Hall, has been two hun- 

 dred yards ; but he thinks that subsequent ob- 

 servation has extended the space. The most 



* Abel's Voyage to, and journey into the interior of, 

 China. 4to. p. 6. 



