Some Ocean Aeronauts 341 



marvellous powers of flight ; and to the natural- 

 ist, who would make their flight a careful study. 

 In our Atlantic and Pacific waters eleven species 

 of the flying fish have been observed; all differ- 

 ing in some feature and adapted possibly to some 

 slightly different conditions. All the Atlantic 

 forms, singularly enough, ten out of the eleven 

 known in America, are delicate little creatures 

 resembling dragon-flies, darting over the waves, 

 rising on the crest, swooping down into the hol- 

 lows, their lace-like fins or wings reflecting the 

 sun in myriad hues. Their soaring flight is 

 strong, and, aided by the wind, they move away 

 in graceful lines to remarkable distances. 



In the Atlantic, many different forms are met 

 with within a restricted area. Gosse found the 

 common Ejcoccetus volans very frequent every- 

 where ; and in a voyage in American sub-tropical 

 waters assumed that one variety replaced, as it 

 were, the other. Thus near Radonda he ob- 

 served multitudes of a rare and showy flying 

 fish, presumably Exoccetus JiiUianus. They 

 were delicate little creatures, appearing as they 

 darted over the waves like insects; barely five 

 inches in length, the back a rich dark steel-pur- 

 ple, the wings or pectoral fins as delicate as fine 

 lace, and so transparent that when placed over 

 the page of a book, type could readily be read 

 through them. The eye was large and beauti- 

 ful, the iris as blue as the tint of the ocean. 



