180 WESTERN SERIES OF READERS. 



of the boat that was sailing right over their heads, 

 or, more properly, over their backs. 



One of these fishes had rings of black running 

 around his light-colored body, making him look 

 like a prisoner in San Quentin. He is very prop- 

 erly called the " convict-fish." He grows to be 

 about eight or ten inches long, has a sharp nose 

 like a pig, and always seems to be near the bottom, 

 searching for food among the rocks. They say 

 he is seldom caught with a hook. 



Sometimes quite a large fish would swim right 

 under our boat, and again we would see a whole 

 school of sea-minnows, or shiners, darting away in 

 various directions, and then coming together 

 again, like bees in a flying swarm. 



Figure 86. 



