376 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXH. 



observation. I found it best to watch for a single one, or 

 two or three, and endeavour to follow their course ; but the 

 suddenness of their emergence from" the water, and the 

 rapidity of their flight, always away from the eye, made it 

 difficult for a long time to detect the method of their loco- 

 motion. In general terms it may be said that they leave 

 the water at a very acute angle, and, as a rule, not more 

 than two or three feet above the surface, risiag as the crests 

 of the waves rise, and falling with their troughs, often 

 touchiag the water, and, ia many cases, dashing right 

 through the tops of the waves without impediag their 

 flight, lessening their speed, or materially altering their 

 course. Moreover, no difierence was visible iu their speed 

 and length of flight, whether they flew ia the direction of 

 the wiud or immediately agaiast it ; so that the idea of their 

 being borne along by the wind was out of the question. It 

 was very evident, therefore, that the impulse of their flight 

 was not aU acquired before they left the water, for if so they 

 would rise and fall at the same angle, and their course in 

 the a,ir would be in the form of an arc. Nor could they, 

 under these circumstances, possibly fly a hundred yards 

 without falKng into the water. Indeed, whatever the primary 

 impulse might be, it is evident that it could not carry them 

 along over the surface of the water for any considerable dis- 

 tance, still less could it hurl them against the crests of the 

 waves, and that in the very teeth of a strong breeze, without 

 impeding their progress. 



At the distance at which the flying-fish were from the eye 

 before observation could fairly be brought to bear upon them, 

 it was extremely difficult to detect anything Hlce vibration 

 of the wings, nor could it be said that it absolutely did not 

 exist. But as some propelling power, while in the air, was 



