THE FLYING FISHKS. 



from six to ton inclies ; the bofly is much compressed, 

 eliort, and deep; tlie whole length of the body and tail 

 is divided into ring-like segments, separated by longi- 

 tudinal and transverse ridges, with the angles of inter- 

 SPction marked by tubercidar points — the ensemble 

 having a striking resemblance to a caterpillar's body. 

 The snont is slender ; the neck suddenly contracts 

 beyond the head, which presents a sufficiently remark- 

 able likeness to that of the horse, to justify tlie name 

 popularly bestowed on this bizarre animal. The tail 

 is long, of a quadningnlar form, and terminates in a 

 naked or finlcss tip. When swimming about, the 

 Hippocampus preserves a vertical position ; but its 

 tail is ever ready to seize any object it encounters in 

 tlie water, and when once attacked, the animal darts 

 upon its prey with surprising dexterity. 



The Hippocamjms is a native of the Mediterranean, 

 the Atlantic, and the Indian oceans. It is frequently 

 met with on the eastern coast of Spain, and the south 

 coast of France. Mr. Lukis, who had two female 

 Hippocampi in captivity, thus describes their habits :^ 

 '• When they swim, they preserve [as a'ready stated] 

 a vertical position ; but their tail seems on the alert to 

 seize whatever it meets with in the water, clasping the 

 stem of the rushes. Once fixed, the animal seems to 

 watch attentively all the surrounding objects, and darts 

 on any prey presenting itself with great dexterity. 

 When one of them approaches the other, they interlace 

 their two tails, and it is only after a struggle that they 

 can separate again, attaching themselves by the lower 

 part of the chin to some rush in order to release them- 

 selves. They have recourse to the same manoeuvre 

 when tliey wish to raise the body, or when they wish 

 to wind their tail to some new object. Their two eyes 

 seem to move independently of each other, like those 

 of the chameleon. The iris is bright and edged with 

 blue." 



The pectoral fins of the Hippocampus are so formed 

 that they can easily sustain the body, not only in the 

 water, but also in the air; they are, in fact, winged 

 fishes; and it is probable that Ihoy suggested the old 

 fable of Pegasus, or the winged horse. 



THE FLYING FISHES. 



The so-called flights of the Flying-fish are really 

 tliort sprii}gs or leaps through the air, not made volnn- 

 larily, but for the purpose of escaping from the pur- 

 suit of the dolphin and other enemies. Mr. Bennett, 

 ill reference to this vexata qtiastio, observes ; — " I have 

 never been able to see any percussion of the pectoral 

 fins during flight; and the greatest length of time I 

 have seen this volatile fish on the fly has been thirty 

 seconds by the watch, and the longest flight mentioned 

 by Captain Basil Ilall has been two hundred yards ; 

 but he thinks that subsequent observation has extended 

 the space. The most usual height of flight," continues 

 Jlr. Bennet, "as seen above the surface of the water, 

 is from two to three feet ; but I have known them 

 come on board at a height of fourteen feet and upwards; 

 rud they have been well ascertained to come into the 



chains of a line-of-battle sliip, which is considered as 

 high as twenty feet and upwards. But it must not bo 

 supposed they have the power of elevating themselves 

 in the air after having left their native element; for on 

 watching them, I have often seen them fall much below 

 the elevation at which they first rose from the water, but 

 never in any one instance could I observe them rise 

 from the height at which they first sprang ; for I regard 

 the elevation they first take to depend on the power of 

 the first spring, or leap, they make on leaving their 

 native element." 



Mr. Gosse, however, asserts that they are fully able 

 to direct and change their flight in the air ; and Mr. 

 Gardner confirms Humboldt's declaration, that they 

 use their pectoral fins as wings during the time they 

 remain above water. 



Of the manner in which the dolphin pursues and 

 attacks the flying fish, Captain Basil Hall furnishes a 

 very graphic sketch : — 



" Two or three dolphins," he says, " had ranged past 

 the ship in all their beauty. The ship in her progress 

 through the water had put up a shoal of flying fish, 

 which took their flight to windward. A large dolphin 

 which had been keeping company with us abreast of 

 the weather gangway, at the depth of two or three 

 fathoms, and as usual glistening most beautifully in the 

 sun, no sooner delected our poor dear friends take 

 wing, than he turned his head towards them, darted 

 to the surface, and leaped from the water with a 

 velocity little short, as it seemed to me, of a cannon- 

 ball. But though the impetus with which he shot 

 himself into the air gave him an initial velocity greatly 

 exceeding that of the flying fish, the start which his 

 fated prey had got enabled them to keep ahead of him 

 for a considerable time. The length of the dolphin's 

 first spring could not be less than ten yards ; and after 

 he fell we could see him gliding like lightning through 

 the water for a moment, when he again rose, and shot 

 upwards with considerably greater velocity than at 

 first, and of course to a still greater distance. In this 

 manner the merciless pursuer seemed to stride along 

 the sea with fearful rapidity, while his brilliant coat 

 sparkled and flashed in the sun quite splendidly. As 

 he fell headlong in the water at the end of each leap, 

 a series of circles were sent far over the surface ; for 

 the breeze, just enough to keep 1,he royals and lop- 

 gallant studding-sails extended, was hardly felt as yet 

 below. 



" The group of wretched flying fishes thus liotly 

 pursued, at length dropped into the sea; but we were 

 rejoiced to observe that they merely touched the top 

 of the swell, and instantly set off again in a fresh and 

 even more vigorous flight. It was particularly inter- 

 esting to observe that the direction they took now was 

 quite different from the one in which they had set out ; 

 implying but too obviously that they had detected 

 their fierce enemy, who was following them with giant 

 steps along the waves, and was gaining rapidly upon 

 them. His pace, indeed, was two or three times as 

 swift as theirs, poor little things! and the greedy 

 dolphin was fully as quick-sighted ; for whenever they 

 varied their flight in the smallest degree, he lost not 

 the tenth part of a second in shaping his course so "W 



