FLIGHT OF FLYING-FISHES. 



469 



stated elsewliere (' Animal Flight,' Uifie and Sons, 1914), the wing- 

 tips of vultures in liorizoiital soaring flight show tlie terminal 

 quills bent up as though they w^ere under the influence of a 

 steady force acting from below and behind. 



As the fish is emerging from the water an interesting appear- 

 ance may sometimes be seen. The length of the trail (made by 

 lateral movement of the tail) is generally less than a metre and a 

 half. It may be only half a metre. At the end of the trail in 



Text- figure 1. 



Flying-fisli starting:, sliowiug- trail of ripples made l)y movement of tail. 

 Wings*iip and tail down as in slow-speed flight. 



a few observations the fish appeared to make a sudden jump out 

 of the water, gaining height thereby to the extent of four or 

 five inches. Had this appearance of a jump been due to an extra 

 strong sti^oke by the tail, one would have expected to liave seen 

 an extra large ripple in the water. ISTothing of the kind was 

 obser\ed. On other occasions, when the jnmj) was not seen and, 

 I l)elieve, did not occur, the trail was observed to get fainter 

 towards its end (text-fig. 1). 



