THE SCABBARD- OR FROST-FISH 



621 



and cast itself up on the beach. 

 This happens with tolerable cer- 

 tainty during the autumn and 

 winter months, when the sea is 

 calm and the nights frosty. Then 

 the frost-fish come ashore alive, 

 wriggling through the surf on 

 to the beach. Two explanations 

 have been offered for this extra- 

 ordinary conduct. One is that 

 the fish commits suicide; being 

 pursued by a shark or other en- 

 emy, it prefers uncertain life on 

 land to certain death at sea ! The 

 other and more probable hypothe- 

 sis has it that the air-bladder of the 

 fish becomes distended to enable 

 it to reach the surface for food 

 for it is a deep-sea fish and 

 that the keen, frosty air prevents 

 it from compressing the bladder 

 and returning to the depths ; thus it gradually drifts into shallow water, is hurled shorewards 

 by the surf, and finally wriggles itself on to the beach to die. The long stretches of sandy 

 beach a few miles from Dunedin arc a favourite resort for frost-fish catching. Two or three 

 men camp out at the foot of the cliffs overhanging the beach, pitching a tent and lighting 

 a huge fire, so as to render life bearable during the long vigils. The " fishing " consists in 

 perambulating the beach up and down shortly before dawn, and keeping a sharp look-out in 

 the surf for the silver streak which betokens the approach of a victim. As soon as a fish is 



Phtt* by W. Savillt-Kint, F.Z.S.] 



[Milfrd-< n-Sea 



FRINGED HORSE-MACKEI L 



Note the great length of the Jin-rays 



Phete tr RtinMd Yhitlt & Co.] 



HORSE-MACKEREL 



The strong keel formed by ridged scale* running do-wn each side of the tail h a characteristic feature 



[Chanciry Lant, W. C. 



