lyo 



Marvels of the Universe 



It is a native of Madagsiscar, and the two first specimens to reach this country were captured by 

 a missionary in the south-east of the island. It was from one of these two original exam.ples that 

 our illustrations were made. Since then several others have been received at the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild's museum at Tring Our example is a male, as shown by the beautifully plumed feelers. 

 The conspicuous feature of the moth is the exceechngly long and slender tails to the lower wings. 

 The utility of such an item in the adornment of the moth can only be guessed at ; but it has been 

 suggested in similar cases that they serve to draw the assaults of insect-eating birds, who, in pursuit, 

 may seize these tails — the nearest part — whilst the moth escapes with his vital portions uninjured. 



This Madagascar moth measures eight inches across the expanded upper wings, whilst taking 

 its length in the other direction we find it to be nine and a half inches. 



FLYING FISHES 



BY R. LYDEKKER. 



That animals which swim at a great 

 speed near the surface of the water, 

 such as whales and fishes, should occa- 

 sionally shoot themselves clear of that 

 element, to take flying leaps in the air, 

 is only what might be expected ; and 

 we find the habit common to both 

 groups, even such mighty creatures as 

 spermwhales throwing their gigantic 

 carcases completely out of the water. 

 In the case of whales the leap is, 

 however, solety dependent upon the 

 original impetus ; but in certain groups 

 of fishes it is converted into what 

 may properly be termed a flight by 

 the great expansion of the front, or 

 pectoral, fins, which present a large 

 surface to the air and thus serve the 

 purpose of wings. 



This power of flight attains its maxi- 

 mum development in two perfectly distinct groups of fishes, namely, the true flying fishes — or 

 flying herrings, as they ought properly to be called — and the flying gurnards. 



True flying fishes, of which the Catalina flying fish, from the coast of CaUfornia, and the Celebean 

 flying fish, of the seas around the island of Celebes, are shown in the accompanying illustrations, 

 are very like herrings in general appearance, except for the great length of the pectoral fins, which 

 reach at least as far back as the root of the tail-fin. As a rule, a flying fish measures from about 

 ten to twelve inches in length, although specimens of eighteen inches are not very uncommon. 

 They are beautiful silvery fishes, whose skimming flight as they rise in shoals from the crests of 

 the waves just ahead of an ocean liner is one of the most beautiful sights in nature. They are 

 essentially fishes of the tropical and subtropical seas ; but a specimen, perhaps driven to our seas 

 by the unusual hot summer of 1911, was taken in a mackerel-net off the village of Wyke Regis, 

 near Wejonouth, in August of that year. 



That the flight of flying fishes originated from an effort to escape the attacks of predatory fishes 

 by leaving the water for a brief period and again falling into that element some distance ahead is 

 admitted on aU hands But for many years there was a great difference of opinion among 



THE FLYING FISH. 



th. 



The Catalina Flying Fish, which is found 

 is very like a herring, save that its breast-fins are 

 reaching back to the root of the tail-fln. The fish 

 to twelve inches in length. 



[By rr. B. RoMnson. 



coast of California. 



af abnormal length, 



as a rule, measures ten 



