PILOT-FISH. ]51 



ther play, the fish swam off in the wake of the vessel, his 

 dorsal fin being long distinctly visible above the water. When 

 he had gone however a considerable distance, he suddenly- 

 turned round, darted after the vessel, and, before the Pilot- 

 fish could overtake him and interpose, snapped at the bait 

 and was taken. In hoisting him up, one of the Pilots was 

 observed to cling to his side until he was half above water, 

 when it fell off. All the Pilot-fishes then swam about 

 awhile, as if in search of their friend, with every apparent 

 mark of anxiety and distress, and afterwards darted suddenly 

 down into the depths of the sea. Colonel H. Smith has 

 himself witnessed, with intense curiosity, an event in all 

 respects precisely similar." 



In the year 18S1, two specimens of the Pilot-fish were 

 caught on the opposite side of the British Channel, and 

 more than one instance has occurred of their following ships 

 into Guernsey. A few years since, a pair accompanied a 

 ship from the Mediterranean into Falmouth, and were both 

 taken with a net. In January 1831, the Peru, Graham 

 master, put into Plymouth, on her voyage from Alexandria 

 for London, after a passage of eighty-two days. About two 

 days after she left Alexandria, two Pilot-fish, Gasterosteus 

 ductor, made their appearance close alongside the vessel, 

 were constantly seen near her during the homeward voyage, 

 and followed her into Plymouth. After she came to an 

 anchor- in Catwater, their attachment appeared to have in- 

 creased ; they kept constant guard to the vessel, and made 

 themselves so familiar, that one of them was actually cap- 

 tured by a gentleman in a boat alongside, but, by a strong 

 effort, it escaped from his grasp, and regained the water. 

 After this the two fish separated ; but they were both taken the 

 same evening, and, when dressed the next day, were found 

 to be excellent eating. In October 1833, nearly one hun- 



