34 2 Recreations of a Sportsman 



Their movements were extremely rapid, and 

 flight short; yet so brilliant is the blue color- 

 ing, so rich the silver sides, that they are far 

 more striking in appearance than many of the 

 larger forms. This was the Volador of the 

 Spanish main. 



Midway between Africa and the West Indies 

 Gosse met bands of the common Volitans, a 

 larger flier, which is essentially the fish of the 

 open sea, making its home in the mid- Atlantic, 

 despite the war of extermination waged against 

 it by the voracious dolphins. Near Antigua the 

 little blue-back flier took the place of the larger 

 form, rising in shoals, glistening in the sun as 

 they dashed away ahead of the ship. When near 

 Hayti these again were succeeded by the great 

 black-winged flying fish. In these waters and 

 all along the Atlantic coast of North America 

 we shall meet a variety of these interesting fishes. 

 In the vicinity of the Mexican Gulf they are 

 seen in great numbers. My first experience with 

 them was in capturing one as it fell from the 

 square sail of our schooner in the Florida 

 Straits. I watched it rise in terror from the 

 crest of a sea that rose high and menacing on 

 our quarter. The wind caught the lace-like para- 

 chutes, lifting it high into the air, carrying it 

 prone against the sail. 



The force with which these little aeronauts 

 move is not inconsiderable, and the log of many 



