1880.] Do Flying Fish Fly? 643 
The following statement to the same effect is found in “ The 
Ocean World,” by Louis Figuier: “Their fins sustain them 
rather as parachutes than wings.” 
In Beeton’s “ Dictionary of Natural History,” the author speaks 
thus: “ Although some few naturalists have supposed that these 
fish possess the true power of flying, that is, by beating the air 
with their members, it is generally agreed that their large fins 
Sustain them parachute-wise when they have leapt from the 
water.” 
In the same place occurs a quotation from Bennett’s “ Wander- 
ings in New South Wales,” which is here given in full, as it con- 
tains some statements which have found quite general acceptance 
among scientific men. 
Mr. Bennett says, “I have never been able to see any percus- 
sion of the pectoral fins during flight, and the greatest length of 
time that I have seen this fish on the fin has been thirty seconds 
by the watch; and the longest flight mentioned by Capt. Hall! is 
two hundred yards; but he thinks that subsequent observation 
has extended the space. The most usual height of flight, as seen 
above the surface of the water, is from two to three feet; but I 
have known them come on board a ship at a height of fourteen 
feet; and they have been well ascertained to have come into the 
channels of a man-of-war, which is considered as high as twenty 
feet and upwards, But it must not be supposed they have the 
power of elevating themselves after leaving their native element; 
for on watching them, I have often seen them fall much below the 
elevation at which they first rose from the water, but never in any 
One instance could I observe them rise from the height at which 
they first sprang; for I regard the elevation they take to depend 
on the power of the first spring or leap they make on leaving 
their native element.” 
Burmeister in his “ Reise nach Brasilien” (Berlin, 1853, p. 36), 
declares that he watched the flying fish for a long time, and saw, 
with certainty, “that they made no kind of movement with their 
large pectoral fins, but held them quietly outspread like a para- 
chute,” : 
In his well-known work on “Animal Locomotion” (p. 98), 
Pettigrew says: ‘Whether the flying fish uses its greatly 
expanded pectoral fins as a bird its wings, or only as parachutes, 
1“ Lieutenant and Commander,”* by Capt, Basil Hall. 
