North Atlantic
Voyage from Liverpool to Boston - Gulf Stream waters
1911.
Aug.8
(No 2)
[August 8, 1911]

Flying Fish.

  Most of the Flying Fish rose directly under the bow and flew
off across the wind, sometimes for distances as great as 60 yards, often
not further than 6 or 8 feet. Looking directly down on them we could
see with absolute certainty & distinctness that their brilliantly iridescent
wings were usually held rigid but occasionally flopped four or five
times, in rather quick succession, exactly like that of a bird. I
was not sure that I made out such rapid & continuous wing motion
on this occasion. The obvious flapping usually occurred just as the
fish was leaving the water or when, after just touching the crest
of a wave, it continued on further with reserved momentum.
Allen saw some of the wing beats quite as closely as I did and
others of our fellow passengers also saw and testified to them. That
they were at times pronounced and unmistakeable is open to no doubt.
Most of the fish varied in length from 2 to 6 or 8 inches and
were silvery white with purple & blue iridescence but I saw one
about the size & shape of a big Dysticus that was brownish yellow all over