Trailing the Sea-Bat 



sonality of these strange creatures circling before me 

 may be obtained. 



As we slowly drifted nearer I could see them deep 

 in the water, apparently going through a series of 

 fantastic figures; now gliding down with flying 

 motion of the wings ; sweeping, gyrating upward with 

 a twisting vertical motion marvelous in its perfect 

 grace; now they flashed white, again black, so that 

 one would have said they were rolling over and over, 

 turning somersaults, were it possible for so large a 

 fish to accomplish the feat. Since then I have been 

 informed by one who had opportunity to watch them 

 on many occasions, that this is what they were doing, 

 and is really a common practice of the big rays. As 

 I recall this strange performance, the huge creatures 

 would suddenly turn over and shoot along upon their 

 backs, thus displaying the pure white of the ventral 

 surface, then again turning at the surface, move 

 along with the remarkable, undulatory, bird-like 

 motion. All this passed in rapid review, and fear- 

 ing that they would become alarmed I gave the word, 

 and Chief moved ahead. 



I wished to select my game and make the throw as 

 the fish turned, and to accomplish this I waited until 

 several had passed. Finally we drifted directly in 

 the path of the remarkable procession, the fishes pay- 

 ing no attention to the boat. One dived beneath 

 her, another came careening up from below, standing 

 directly on edge, as nearly as I could determine, and 



9 



