THE SCABBARDs OF FPROSTer ls 223 
and cast itself up on the beach. 
This happens with tolerable cer- 
tainty during the autumn = and 
winter months, when the sea is 
calm and the nights frosty. Then 
the frost-fish come ashore alive, 
wriggling through the surf on 
to the beach. Two explanations 
have been offered for this extra- 
ordinary conduct. One is that 
the fish commits suicide; being 
pursued by a shark or other en- 
emy, it prefers uncertain life on 
land to certain death at sea! The 
other and more probable hypothe- 
sis has it that the air-bladder of the eek ; : : 
fish becomes distended to enable a : ——— 
it to reach the surface for food Photo by W, Saville-Kent, F.Z.S ] [Milford-cn-Sea 
— for it is a deep-sea fish — and FRINGED HORSE-MACKEREL 
that the keen, frosty air prevents Note the great length of the fin-rays 
it from compressing the bladder 
and returning to the depths; thus it gradually drifts into shallow water, is hurled shorewards 
by the surf, and finally wriggles itself on to the beach to die. The long stretches of sandy 
beach a few miles from Dunedin are a favourite resort for frost-fish catching. Two or three 
men camp out at the foot of the cliffs overhanging the beach, pitching a tent and lighting 
a huge fire, so as to render life bearable during the long vigils. The “ fishing” consists in 
perambulating the beach up and down shortly before dawn, and keeping a sharp look-out in 
the surf for the silver streak which betokens the approach of a victim. As soon as a fish is 
1 
ths : Aa ccd 
Photo by Reinhold Thiele & Co.] (Chancery Lane, HW’, C. 
HORSE-MACKEREL 
The strong keel formed by ridged scales running down each side cf the tail is a characteristic feature 
