272 NATUKALIST'S CABINET. 



_ 



Capable of flying and swimming. 



The fore part of the body is fortified just 

 behind the gills by a flat bone on each side, 

 answering all the purposes of clavicles and sca- 

 pulae in land animals ; and on the posterior part 

 of it, the articulation is made with the wing. 



In flying, as it is termed, not only the wings 

 and fins of these fish are much expanded, but 

 also their tails ; they skim along the surface of 

 the deep somewhat in the manner of a swallow, 

 but in straight lines; and from the blackness of 

 their backs, the whiteness of their bellies, and 

 forked expanded tails, they have much the same 

 appearance. They fly fifty or sixty yards at one 

 stretch; and repeat the exertion again and again 

 by a momentary touch of the surface, which 

 gives them new vigor for a new departure. They 

 generally rise in shoals ; and are found in great 

 quantities between lat. 13 deg. and 10 deg. N. 

 and from 20 to W. as also between the tro- 

 pics in the Atlantic, and in the Indian ocean ; 

 and the power of exerting itself in both elements, 

 is said to furnish one of the most entertaining 

 spectacles those seas can exhibit. The efforts to 

 seize on the one side, and the arts of escaping 

 on the other, are perfectly amusing. The shark, 

 the porpoise, the dolphin, and the dorado, are 

 seen upon this occasion darting after their prey, 

 which will not leave the water, while it has the^ 

 advantage of swimming, in the beginning of the 

 chase; but, like an hunted hare, being tired at 



