2 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST 



[Vol. XL 



But among scientists wing-flapping is undoubtedly very much 

 the under dog and the carefully written paper by Captain Barrett- 

 Hamilton {Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist, ser. 7, vol. 11, p. 389, 1903), also 

 a convinced aeroplanist, perhaps expresses current opinion as well 

 as may be; and even Professor Whitman (Amer. Naturalist, vol. 

 14, p. 641, 1880), who insists that he has seen "distinctly the indi- 

 vidual flaps of the large pectorals," adds that this flapping "may 

 be continued for the whole or part of the flight, but it is generally 

 discontinued after the first few rods, and the course continued by 

 a pure skimming or sailing movement" — thus showing that he, 

 too, believes in the possibility of the aeroplane flight. 



Proof that such flight by any known species of flying-fish is a 

 mechanical impossibility is the new ground which I propose to take 

 up. 



In order to make clear what the aeroplane theory is, I quote 

 from the Encyclopcedia Britannica (art. "Flying-fish") the "chief 

 results of the inquiries" (Die Bewegungen tier Fliegenden Fische 

 durch die Lujt, Leipzig, 1878) of one of its chief exponents. Pro- 

 fessor K. Mobius. These results, which seem also to have formed 

 the groundwork of many subsequent articles, are — with certain 

 omissions on my part for brevity's sake — summed up as follows: — 



"They are more frequently observed in rough weather, and in 

 a disturbed sea then during calms; they dart out of the water. . . . 

 and they rise without regard to the direction of the wind or waves. 

 The fins are kept quietly distended without any motion, except 

 an occasional vibration caused by the air, whenever the surface 

 of the wing is parallel with the current of the wind. Their flight 

 is rapid, but gradually decreasing in velocity, greatly exceeding 

 that of a ship going ten miles an hour, and a distance of 500 feet. 

 Generally it is longer when the fishes fly against, than with, or at 

 an angle to, the wind. Any vertical or horizontal deviation from 

 the straight course, when flying with or against the wind, is not 



caused at the will of the Hsh, hut hy currents of air in a rough 



sea, when flying against the course of the waves; they then fre- 

 quently overtop each wave, being carried over it by the pressure 

 of the disturbed air. They. . . :fall on board vessels. This never 

 happens from the lee side, but during a breeze only, and from the 

 weather side. During the night they frequently fly against the 



