66 



PISH GALLERY. 



an adhesive disk, which occupies the upperside of the head and neck. 

 These fishes, of which ten different species are known, are enabled 

 by means of this disk to attach themselves to any flat surface. The 

 adhesion is so strong that the fish can only be dislodged with 

 difficulty, unless it is pushed forwards by a sliding motion. They 

 attach themselves to sharks, turtles, ships, or any other object which 

 serves their purpose, and, being bad swimmers, they allow them- 

 selves to be thus carried about by other animals endowed with a 

 greater power of locomotion or by vessels. This genus is connected 

 with the more normal forms of this family through Elacate, which, 

 though closely allied to the Sucking-fish, have the spinous dorsal 

 fin formed of free spines. Coryphana, generally (though by mis- 

 application of the name) called " Dolphins," are pelagic fishes. 



Fig. 49 



Dolphin {Coryphcena hippurus). (From the Atlantic Ocean.) 



distributed over all the tropical and subtropical seas; they are 

 most powerful swimmers, congregate in shoals, and pursue the 

 Flying-fish, which try to escape their enemies by long flying 

 leaps. They attain to a length of 6 feet, and are eagerly caught 

 by sailors on account of their well-flavoured flesh. The beauty of 

 their, unfortunately fugitive, colours has ever been a subject of 

 admiration. The Opah or King-fish {Lampris luna) is one of the 

 most beautiful fishes of the Atlantic, and occasionally occurs on 

 the British coast. It attains to a length of four feet. The 

 skeleton (of which a specimen, together with a stuffed example, is 

 exhibited in a table-case) exhibits several peculiarities, viz., an 

 extraordinary development and dilatation of the humeral arch, and 

 great strength of the numerous and closely-set ribs. 



