4414 Tue ZooLoGist—APRIL, 1875. 
several yards of line in their first rush, and often taking a flight in 
the air, line and all. 
Motion of Flying-Fish under Water.—“ The motion of this 
fish under water is peculiar. The tail is its chief means of pro- 
gression, the large pectoral fins being usually folded and laid 
along the side of the fish so as not to be discernible. Every now 
and then the pectoral fin on one side is slowly expanded to its 
full extent, for the purpose, it appeared, of simply stretching them 
for exercise, as they swam on without turning with the fin open. 
The effect of this expansion was exceedingly striking and pretty, 
the fin looking like silver, and when several of the fish were in 
company the flash caused by a fin being opened, now here, now 
there, now on one side of a fish, and then on the other, heightened 
the effect considerably. It was curious to note, when the expanded 
fin was closed, how completely it disappeared, altering the appear- 
ance of the fish entirely. Towards the evening a light breeze 
sprang up, and the fish went away from the ship. No one on 
board had ever before seen flying-fish out here remain for so long 
a time round the ship, and their taking a bait so readily was thought 
a novelty.” 
FRANCIS SMITH. 
H.M.S. ‘ Repulse,’ at sea, lat. 6.56 S., long. 81.5 W. 
January 27, 1875. 
In addition to the above, Mr. Smith remarks, in a private letter, 
that he has endeavoured to give some idea of the movements of 
the pectoral fins of flying-fish, on account of his observing, in 
Wood’s ‘Natural History, that it had not been determined in 
what manner these organs were used when the fish were pro- 
gressing under water, and therefore hopes his remarks may throw 
further light on the subject. 
The fish which afforded so much sport to the officers and crew 
of the ‘Repulse’ were probably on their way to their spawning 
grounds among the rocks of the Chincha Islands, where Mr. 
Howard Saunders (Zool. S. S. 8838) noticed them in vast numbers 
about the last week in March, and I have no doubt that they 
also breed abundantly among many other of the little-known 
islands of the coasts of Peru. 
GERVASE F. MATHEW. 
H.M.S. ‘Britannia,’ Dartmouth, 
March 17, 1877. 
