FLYING FISH IN MEDWAY AND SWALE. 



403 



narrow Queenborough entrance leading into the West Swale, or 

 otherwise ? My reply is, more chance of its entry by the Whit- 

 stable end of the East Swale by following up the whitebait at the 

 first of the flood (see arrow in diagram). 



A mere notice of the Kent locality of the Flying Fish might 

 have sufficed for a record, but on the examination of the second 

 straggler there has arisen [queries. These, though of a minor 

 kind in themselves, yet seem to me to lead to matters of a 

 wider significance, and I therefore venture to treat of them 

 accordingly. 



*<y X jfore JLvtfhtship, 



£STUA^ 



p IG# i. — Bough chart of Medway and Swale neighbourhoods. ::= 1 and *2 

 indicate approximately where the two Flying Fish were taken. 



What Species ?— Although we mention above its apparent 

 outward resemblance to the so-called Greater Flying Fish of 

 English writers, viz., Exocoetus volitans, Linn., yet a more 

 critical examination and comparison with specimens in the 

 British Museum collection has rather led to the inference of its 

 correspondence with the Streaked Flying Fish, E. lineatus, Cuv. 

 and Val. Such has been the determination arrived at by Messrs. 

 Boulenger, Began, and myself. 



Hitherto two kinds of Exoccetal Flying Fish have been allowed 

 generally by British authorities as occasional visitants to our 

 shores. One with short ventrals and other characteristics — E. 

 evolans, type ; others (got more numerously) with long ventrals, 



2i2 



