THE GURNARD aROUP. 151 



effort) can tower. Sir F. Herbert says, forty feet : this 

 is probably above the mark ; Gillius says, from six to 

 eight feet, which is certainly below it ; and various other 

 writers assign intermediate altitudes 5 but all are agreed 

 that these creatures, to whatever height their powers of 

 propulsion may succeed in first carrying them, can re- 

 main on the wing but for a very brief period. - During 

 this short exodus from the deep, whilst the membrane 

 of their fins remains moist and supple, few specta- 

 cles in natural history are more interestiog for the eye 

 to follow than the evolutions of a scared flight of these 

 dactylopteri, rising, as by magic, out of the waves, 

 and winging its wide-spread way like an immense flock 

 of birds over the deep. So fearful are they of sur- 

 prise, that a shoal has been known to emerge sud- 

 denly on the mere splash of a pebble thrown into the 

 water; generally, however, it is the pursuit of some 

 himgry bonetus through the liquid plain that rouses 

 their most strenuous efforts ; and as there is no cover to 

 hide in, the sole chance of escape depends on the speed 

 they may employ, and on the impossibility of the blood- 

 thirsty Polyphemus, however hungry he may be, gor- 

 ging the whole phalanx. We attempt their flight in 

 verse : 



When keen-eyed triglas see the darkening foe. 

 They shoot like meteors from the depths below ; 

 Troop to the top, uncurl their stiffen'd tails, 

 And lash the refluent surge with foaming flails ! 

 Upborne awhile, on vigorous pinions fly, 

 And the grim pursuivant, elate, defy ; 

 Tin, wam'd by flagging powers and aching breast, 

 The panting quarry dips, in hope to rest. 

 Delusive hope ! scared as they touch the main. 

 The rushing monster scatters them again ! 

 And now succeeds a fluttering, broken flight : 

 They rise to droop, ascend to re-alight ; 

 Hard-press'd, now skim along the watery waste, 

 O'er many a liquid rood in rueful haste, 



