OSSEOUS FISHES. 571 



principle of fishing is this : the tide makes a curve on the leader of the 

 bag, in this curve the fish swim into the net. Bags are adapted 

 for any kind of coast, and six or seven are run out to sea end on. 

 Fly nets are the same as bags in principle, but slightly altered so 

 as to adapt them for being fixed to stakes driven into the sand 

 instead of being moored by rope and anchor ; they are always used 

 where the tide ebbs. Stake nets are expensive, and seldom used 

 now-a-days. When in fishing trim they are, however, more deadly 

 than fly nets : their chambers are three times as large, but the 

 principle of fishing in bag and stake nets is identical, leaders being 

 used in all. It is noteworthy that trout are never caught in these 

 leaders. 



ESOCLD^l. 



This family includes the Pike, which, being a fresh-water fish, need 

 not now occupy our attention ; it includes also the singular genus 

 Stomias, and the Flying-fish, Exocoetus. 



The Stomias have a body much elongated, the muzzle being very 

 short, the mouth very deeply cleft, the opercula reduced to small 

 membranous laminae ; the maxillarius fixed to the cheek ; the inter- 

 maxillary palatine and maxillary bones are rather sparingly furnished 

 with teeth, and those are long and hooked. Similar teeth are observ- 

 able on the tongue. The ventral fins are placed far back, and the 

 dorsal fin is placed opposite the anal fin, on the hinder extremity of 

 the body. 



Only two species of this genus are known : the one of the Mediter- 

 ranean, Stomia loa (Fig. 381), the other of the Atlantic Ocean, S. 

 larbatus, so called from the long barbula on the chin. Both species 

 are black in colour, with numerous small silvery spots on the ab- 

 domen. The body of 8. boa is thin, compressed, covered with little 

 thin scales of blackish blue, much spotted on the back and abdomen, 

 a little brighter on the sides the head, in some respects, recalling 

 that of a serpent. 



Flying is so much associated in our minds with the usual denizens 

 of the air, that the idea of flying-fishes seems to be a contradiction. 

 Nevertheless, some fishes possess that power, the fins being transformed 

 into wings, which they are enabled to raise for a few seconds. These 



