222 JVotes on Jfatural History, J^c. [April, 



creases so considerably in volume that all muscular effort being 

 unable to restrain it, it forces the bladder, stomach, and other 

 neighboring parts outside the throat into the form of a baloon- 

 shaped mass." — De la Beche on marine animal life. 



This curious fact I had frequent opportunities of obserA-ing, 

 when on the banks of Brazil and along the Patagonian coast a 

 few years since. In water, sixty-two fathoms deep, we caught 

 an immense quantity of fish belonging to the genus Gadites, 

 which at these places inhabit the bottom of the sea; on reaching 

 the surface, they almost invariably presented the appearance here 

 stated. Such of them as had disengas^ed themselves from the 

 hook, were in a short time seen floating at the surface, being un- 

 able again to descend in consequence of their swimming-bladders 

 being thus greatly distended, and, with the neighboring parts, 

 protruding far beyond their throats. 



Observations on the open sea and in high southern latitudes 

 have perfectly satisfied me that fish do not abound in either 

 places, and are only to be found in the greatest abundance on 

 soundings and along shores, in regions comparatively moderate. 

 In sailing from the American coast to that of Africa, and from 

 thence again to a high southern latitude, we found them extreme- 

 ly limited both as to genera and species. The flying fish we 

 were daily in the habit of seeing as they arose from the bows of 

 the ship in their flight over the sea. The parrot fish, whose 

 beautiful and evanescent hues in dyeing have so often been the 

 theme of admiration, were comparatively scarce. The shark, 

 with its inseparable companions, the pilot and sucking fish, only 

 during calms; a small species of file fish but once, and two of 

 scomber completes the list. 



The bonita and the albicore, the two species of the last nam- 

 ed genus, were exceedingly common in the tropical seas. When 

 we reached the sixth degree of north latitude we fell in with an 

 immense shoal of them, which day and night kept perfect time 

 with the vessel's speed, until our arrival at a corresponding lati- 

 tude south; beyond which, we saw them no more. The appear- 

 ance of these fish during the night exhibits a most interesting and 



