378 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Ch. XXII. 



new vibration which would carry them forward, although 

 too far off to be observed. But when the fish meets with 

 a succession of wave-crests, it takes a more or less zigzag 

 course, changing its direction each time it emerges from the 

 water, and at the same time waving from side to side after 

 the manner of the sailing flight of a large sea-bird. 



Crossing the Equator on June 19th in long. 22° W., I 

 was witness to a remarkable scene, in wliich the poor flying- 

 fishes played a conspicuous part. The whole day long the 

 path of the ship was beset with a number of large fishes 

 (Albicores), which played sad havoc among them. The 

 Albicores were about 5 feet long, extremely active and bold, 

 dartiag to and fro imder the cutwater, and raising the flying- 

 fishes in terrified shoals. Every now and then they would 

 leap in a graceful curve 8 or 10 feet oul of the water, and 

 on several occasions one would make a succession of such 

 leaps among the shoals of flying-fish, and, singling out one, 

 catch it in the air, the victim being distinctly seen between 

 the jaws of the monster as he fell into the water. It was 

 an exciting and iateresting scene to witness the leaping 

 and splashing of the great Albicores, which pm'sued their 

 prey with the rapidity of an arrow, and the frantic efforts of 

 the flying-fishes to escape, which were often ineffectual. 

 Leaving the water as usual in simultaneous shoals, they fled 

 before their enemies usually at right angles to the ship's 

 course, the wind being abaft; but I remarked, as an un- 

 usual circumstance, that after flying a little way they always 

 veered round before the wind, so that their flight was almost 

 universally bent in the form of a boomerang. Accompanying 

 the Albicores were two smaller red fishes, which did not 

 leaye the water, but which were evidently in pursuit of small 

 flying-fishes. I several times saw rise before them a little 



