e 
1880.] Do Flying Fish Fly ? 651 
this also they make no fin-strokes. They do not raise themselves, 
but are passively raised by the ascending currents of air, which 
are caught in the grooves on the under surface of their pectoral 
fins” (p. 371). Notwithstanding the oft-repeated affirmation that 
flying fish do not actually fly, our author seems, in one place, to 
admit the possibility of the flapping of the fins during flight. 
“ These explanations of the movement of the flying fish do not 
imply that an Exoccetus or a Dactylopterus cannot make power- 
ful and plainly recognizable movements with its tail and pectorals 
during its ascent (out of the water), and even occasionally in the 
middle of its course, if prompted thereto by a strong wens of 
the body by the waves ” (p. 372). 
This statement, interpreted in the light of the context, cannot 
be said, however, to involve a contradiction; the author simply 
means that the fins and tail may be used in getting out of the 
water, and that these movements may possibly be recognized just 
as the fish rises. But he still maintains that the wing-like move- 
ment attributed to them by many observers, “arises not through 
Muscular action, but through the elasticity of the out-spread fins 
and the pressure of the air, which act alternately against each 
other” (35 3-354). 
Passing on from these explanations, which presume to reconcile 
conflicting statements by pronouncing all that will not be recon- 
ciled, biltacio ine; and by substituting others of a less obstinate but 
of a purely hypothetic nature, which seem to admit of a quasi- 
explanation, we have next to notice the arguments urged fro.n an 
anatomical and physiological standpoint. 
“T believe then,” says Mobius, “that I have refuted on ana- 
tomical and physiological prana the opinion that flying fish use 
the pectoral fins as wings ” (p. 368). 
In this entire discussion, Möbius tacitly assumes that there can 
be but two opinions on this question, namely: his own opinion, 
Which he shares with many others, and the opinion attributed, 
‘With more or less justice, to A. v. Humboldt, Kneeland and 
others, that the fins are flapped with great rapidity throughout the 
entire flight. While the claim to have refuted the latter opinion 
Seems altogether too pretentious, it may be freely admitted that 
the reasons adduced have much more force against it than 
against the view here maintained, that the flapping movement is 
generally continued for only a part of the flight. 
