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THE SEA LOCUST. 
tropical seas, extending as far north as the Mediterranean, and to the Atlantic shores of 
Northern America. 
The general color is brownish-red, marbled with dark brown and dotted with black. 
In some individuals the dots are arranged in lines around the dark marblings. 
The extraordinary creature which is known by the name of Red Fere-fish, and to the 
natives of Ceylon by the title of Geni-maiia, inhabits the greater part of the tropical seas, 
from Eastern Africa, through the Indian seas, to Australia. 
This fish is remarkable for the singular development of the dorsal and pectoral fins, the 
latter being of such vast proportionate size, that they were formerly supposed to act like the 
SPOTTED SCORPION-FISH . — Scorjmna porous. 
corresponding organs in the flying fish, and to raise the creature out of the water into the air. 
Such, however, is not the case ; for the rays which carry the connecting membrane are not 
supported by a corresponding strength of bone as in the true flying fishes, and are far too 
weak to serve that purpose. Indeed, the object of this remarkable development is one of the 
many mysteries with which the inquiring zoologist is surrounded, and which make his task so 
exhaustlessly fascinating. 
The structure of the entire skeleton is very interesting to comparative anatomists, 
but is too complicated, and requires too many technical terms to be described in these 
pages. 
The Red Fire-fish is common off the Ceylonese coast, and is said to be rather valuable as 
an article of food, its flesh being very white, firm, and nutritious. The native fishermen hold 
this species in some dread, thinking that it can inflict an incurable wound with the sharp 
spines which aim its person and stand out so boldly in every direction. This idea, however, 
is without any foundation ; for, although the thorny spines may prick the hand deeply and 
painfully, they carry no poison, and inflict no venomed hurt. 
One or two notable fishes require a cursory notice. 
The Sea Locust (Apistos israelitorum) is a native of the Red Sea, and is remarkable as 
being the only flying-fish of those strange waters. It is particularly plentiful on that part of 
the coast near which the Israelites were forced to wander for a space of forty years, and on 
that account has received its specific title. Khrenberg has noticed that it is very abundant 
near Tor, and that several specimens fell into his boat almost every time that the sea was 
agitated. He further throws out a suggestion, that the quails to which allusion is made in the 
