154 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



find the less reason, then, to be surprised to find 

 that in so small an object as a shell-fish the head 

 of the horse is to be seen protruding from the 

 shell. 



Pliny. 



Bonitoes and Flying Fish ^;^ ^v> 



(From the Voyages) 



'T^HERE be also of sea fishes which wee sawe 

 comming along the coast flying, which are of 

 the bignesse of a smelt, the biggest sorte whereof 

 haue four winges, but the other haue but two. Of 

 these we sawe comming out of Guinea, a hun- 

 dreth in a companie, which being chased by the 

 Gilt heads, otherwise called the Bonitoes, doe to 

 auoide them the better take their flight out of the 

 water, but yet are they not able to flie farre, be- 

 cause of the drying of their winges, which serue 

 them not to flye but when they are moyste, and 

 therefore when they can flye no further fan into 

 the water, and hauing wette their winges take a 

 newe flight againe. These Bonitoes be of bignesse 

 like a carpe, and in colour like a mackarell, but it 

 is the swiftest fish in swimming that is, and follow- 

 eth her praye very fiercely not onely in the water, 

 but also out of the water : for as the flying fish 

 taketh her flight, so doeth this Bonitoe leape after 

 them, and taketh them sometime aboue the water. 



