148 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



I am perfectly well aware that a casual glance at Flying Fish 

 from the lofty deck of a liner gives the impression that they soar 

 like birds with motionless wings, but watch them at close quarters 

 from the deck of a low-waisted tramp, and the vibratory motions 

 of tail and fins will be quite plain. 



It is truly amazing to contemplate the countless millions of 

 these fish in tropical waters. Often for weeks together one may 

 every few minutes see startled shoals scatter from the ship's 

 bows. I have watched for hours the sea thick with myriads of 

 juveniles from a couple of inches in length. These do not fly, 

 but flap on the surface ; the flight begins when the fish are about 

 three or four inches long, and increases in length as their size 

 increases. The adults come on board chiefly at night, and mostly 

 in rough weather. As I have said, they are often collected and 

 fried for breakfast. The flesh is very white and firm, but some- 

 what dry, and the bones are particularly hard ; but after living 

 on " salt horse" and tinned tripe one regards them as a distinct 

 relief. Fishermen bring them for sale to ships in the Japanese 

 ports, but I have never seen them in the fish-shops there. 



Of course, for anything I know, different species may have 

 slightly different methods of flight ; indeed, I am inclined to 

 think they have. I have a note made fifty miles south-east of 

 Cape Eace to the effect that the Flying Fish appeared to have 

 four wings. As I was watching them through a glass a fellow- 

 passenger, to whom Flying Fish were familiar, came up, asking 

 me if I had seen four-winged Flying Fish before. I never had, 

 but I have thought since that these must have been of a species 

 with large ventral fins, which may be spread in flight. 



