5G2 HisToav ot 



kinds ; those whose mouths are less, lie in wait for the smaller 

 fry ; and even these chiefly subsist upon spawn. Of those which 

 live in the ocean, of the spinous kinds, the dorado is the most 

 voracious. This is cliietiy found in the tropical climates ; and 

 s at once the most active and the most beautiful of the finny re- 

 gion. It is about six feet long ; the back all over enamelled 

 with spots of a blueish green and silver ; the tail and fins of a 

 gold colour ; and all have a brilliancy of tint, that nothing but 

 nature's pencil can attain to : the eyes are placed on each side of 

 the head, large and beautiful, surrounded with circles of shining 

 gold. In the seas where they are found, these fish are always 

 in motion, and play round ships in full sail with ease and secu- 

 rity : for ever either pursuing or pursued, they are seen con- 

 ■ tinually in a state of warfare ; either defending themselves against 

 the shark, or darting after the smaller fishes. Of all others, the 

 Fl3'ing.fish most abounds in these seas ; and as it is a small ani- 

 mal, seldom growing above the size of a herring, it is chiefly 

 sought by the dorado. Nature has furnished each respectively 

 with the powers of pursuit and evasion. The dorado being 

 above six feet long, yet not thicker than a salmon, and furnished 

 with a full compliment of fins, cuts its way through the water 

 with amazing rapidity : on the other hand, the flying-fish is fur- 

 nished with two pair of fins longer than the body, and these also 

 moved by a stronger set of muscles than any other. This equa- 

 lity of power seems to furnish one of the most entertaining 

 spectacles those seas can exhibit. The efl!'orts to seize on the 

 one side, and the arts of escaping on the other, are perfectly 

 amusing. The dorado is seen, upon this occasion, darting after 

 its prey, which will not leave the water, while it has the advan- 

 tage of swimming, in the beginning of the chase. But, like a 

 hunted hare, being tired at last, it then has recourse to another 

 expedient for safety by flight. The long fins, which began to 

 grow useless in the water, are now exerted in a different manner, 

 and different direction, to that in which they were employed in 

 swimming : by this means, the timid little animal rises from the 

 water, and flutters over its surface for tv.'o or three hundred 

 yards, till the muscles employed in moving the wings are en- 

 leebled by that particular manner of exertion. By this time 

 however, they have acquired a fresh power of renewing theii 

 afforts in the water, and the animal is capable of proceeding with 



