f 



14 



vanic electricity, the rays which support the 

 membrane of the pectoral fin extend with five 

 times the force with which the other fins move 

 when galvanized by the same metals. By these 

 means the fish is capable of throwing itself ho- 

 rizontally twenty feet distance, before retouch- 

 ing the water with the extremity of it's fins. 

 This motion has been aptly compared to that of 

 a fiat stone, which, thrown horizontally, bounds 

 one or two feet above the water. Notwithstand- 

 ing the extreme rapidity of this motion, it is cer- 

 tain, that the animal beats the air during the 

 leap, that is, it alternately extends and closes it's 

 pectoral fins. The same motion * has been ob- 

 served in the flying s corpse n a of the rivers of Ja- 

 pan, which contains also a large air-bladder, 

 with which the great part of the scorpsense, that 

 have not the faculty of flying, are unprovided 

 The flying fish, like almost all animals which 

 have gills, enjoy the privilege J of equal respira- 

 tion for a long time both in water and in air, 

 by the same organs ; that is by extracting the 

 oxygen from the atmosphere as well as from 

 the water in which it is dissolved. They pass 

 a great part of their life in the air, but 

 this life is at best but an unhappy one. If 



* Lacepede, Histoire naturelle des Poissons, vol. iii, p. 290. 

 f Sporeus, s. scrofa, s dactyloptera. Delaroche, Ann. 

 du Mus. t. 14, p. 189. 

 X Mem. d'Arcueil, t. ii, p. 397. 



