OCEANIC FLYING-FISH. 145 



deepening into purplish brown on the back : the 

 pectoral fins are dusky, the dorsal and anal yellow- 

 ish, and the ventral fins and tail reddish. It is a 

 native of the American and Indian seas, but is 

 occasionally observed, like the former, in the Medi- 

 terranean. Mr. Pennant records an instance of its 

 being seen about the British coasts. 



Dr. Bloch quotes, from Plumier, a very remark- 

 able circumstance relative to the Flying-Fish : viz. 

 that the spawn is of a quality so highly acrimoni- 

 ous, that the smallest particle cannot be tasted with- 

 out an immediate partial excoriation of the tongue 

 and palate. It is not certain however, from the 

 account of Plumier to which particular species this 

 acrimonious spawn belongs. 



The air-bladder in this, and doubtless in the rest 

 of the genus, is very large, and consequently well 

 calculated for occasionally diminishing the specific 

 gravity of the animal : there is also, according to 

 Bioch. a peculiar kind of membrane on the sides of 

 the mouth, which have the power, by their junction, 

 of closing that part, even though the jaws be open, 

 when air is blown into it through the aperture of 

 the gill-covers, and this he imagines may still 

 further contribute to the remarkable power of flight 

 possessed by this genus, which has often been con- 

 sidered, and especially by the celebrated Bonnet, 

 in his scale of Nature, as forming a kind of con- 

 necting link between Fishes and Birds, similar to 

 that which the Bats may be supposed to form be- 

 tween Birds and Quadrupeds. 



v. v. P. i. 10 



