8 THE SEA-SHORE 



In the first place, although it grows to a length 

 of eighteen or nineteen inches, its body, even in 

 the largest part, is no bigger round than a slate- 

 pencil. For this reason it is often known as the 

 Needle Fish. 



Besides this, its jaws are drawn out to a most 

 wonderful length, and are fastened together all 

 the way along, so that they really form a kind of 

 tube. So, you see, a pipe-fish can never open or 

 shut its mouth, but has to suck in its food through 

 the tiny hole at the tip of the jaws. 



Sometimes, as you look down into a rock-pool, 

 you may see one of these fishes feeding ; and the 

 way in which it does so is very curious indeed. It 

 suspends itself almost upright in the water, with 

 its tail upwards and its head downwards. It then 

 fills its tube-like mouth with water, which it 

 squirts out again as hard as it possibly can. The 

 result is, of course, that the sand at the bottom 

 of the pool is blown away, and the various tiny 

 creatures which were lying hidden underneath it 

 are uncovered. Then the fish sucks them up into 

 its mouth, and swallows them. 



Another curious fact about the pipe-fish is that 

 instead of being clothed with scales, as most fishes 

 are, it is covered all over with hard bony plates, 

 just like a suit of armour. But the strangest 

 thing of all about it is that underneath the body 

 of the male fish is a kind of pouch, into which the 

 female puts her eggs, so that he can carry them 



