THE FLYING-FISH. 319 



ONE or two more members of this genus demand a brief notice. 



The PILCHARD, or GIPSY HERRING (Clupea pilchardus), is another of the gregarious 

 fish, and is taken about the month of August by a wonderfully intricate system of 

 boats and nets that seem capable of sweeping every fish out of the sea. Though very 

 like the herring, it may easily be distinguished by the position of the dorsal fin, which 

 is set so far forward that if the fish be held by the first ray of that fin its body slopes 

 upward, whereas in the herring it is nearly balanced and slightly inclines downward. 



ANOTHER species of this genus is peculiarly dear to the metropolitan epicure under 

 the name of WHITEBAIT. The scientific name of this fish is Clupea alba. This most 

 delicate little fish, which looks so exquisitely beautiful in the opalescent translucency 

 of its living state that the mind almost recoils from defiling it with the appliances of 

 cookery, is taken in the mouths of several British rivers, and is sometimes known 

 to ascend for many miles up the stream. It was long thought to be the fry of some 



THE FLYING FlSn.-Bxocxtus volitaos. 



other fish, but this opinion has long been disproved. The color of this pretty little 

 fish is all silvery white, with the exception of the back, which is tinged with ashen 

 green. 



THE far-famed FLYING-FISH exists in many of the warmer seas, and derives its 

 popular name from its wonderful powers of sustaining itself in the air. 



The passage of this fish through the atmosphere can lay no just claim to the title of 

 flight, for the creature does not flap the wing-like pectoral fins on which it is upborne, 

 and it is not believed even to possess the power of changing its course. As much of 

 the history of the Flying-fish has been given while treating of the coryphene, the reader 

 is referred to the description of that fish on page 277, where may also be seen an 

 illustration of the attitudes assumed by the Flying-fish as it speeds its course through 

 the air while attempting to avoid its deadly foe beneath. 



In allusion to the habits of this remarkable fish, Mr. F. D. Bennett, in his " Narrative 

 of a Whaling Voyage," has the following valuable remarks : 



