174 
THE PLYING FISH. 
[Nature and Art, November 1, 1866. 
Flying Fish ; but, although we had them before our eyes 
almost every quarter of an hour for a week, their flight was 
so rapid that, at the nearest distance they ever were to the 
ship, we found it utterly impossible for the eye to determine 
this question, as it is to see the vibrations of the wings of a 
fly. Our impression is that this act of flying is effected in 
two ways : first, there is a spring, or leap, by which the 
fish is raised out of the water ; and then the pectoral fins 
are spread and employed to propel the fish in a forward 
direction either by a few flappings, or by the motion that is 
analogous to the skimming of swallows. It is quite true 
that they have not the power of elevating themselves in the 
air in an undulating direction, as we see in swallows. The 
course of their flights being always that of a very slight 
arch, the height of which, we believe, varies with the 
species ; those near the Equinoxial Line, towards America, 
have a low flight, so that though innumerable flocks rose 
round the vessel in all directions, not one ascended 
sufficiently high to fall into it ; whilst in other instances 
they have fallen into ships from fourteen to twenty feet 
above the water. Sometimes they fly off in an oblique, 
angular direction from that which they first took, — an im- 
portant fact, because it proves that, this flying is effected 
not merely by the leap, but by the action of the fins and 
tail just as these members are used to influence the course 
of birds, although the mode in which the pectorals are used 
for this purpose we do not pretend to understand.” 
That 'they have the most perfect control over 
their own movements and direction of flight there 
can he no doubt, but the fact of their so frequently 
falling on board ship and into boats, leads us to 
imagine that their powers of vision must be de- 
fective when in the ail', or that the certain and 
well-understood danger below distracts their atten- 
tion from the unknown risks above. The powers 
of flight possessed by Flying Fish, and the life of 
danger and persecution led by them, are thus 
described by Captain Basil Hall : — 
“ A notion prevails afloat, but I know not how just it may 
be, that they can fly no longer than whilst their wings, or 
fins, remain wet. That they rise as high as twenty feet 
above the water is certain, from their being found in parts 
of a ship which are full as much as that out of the sea. I 
remember seeing one about nine inches in length, and weigh- 
ing not less than half a pound, skim into the Volage’s main 
deck port, just abreast the gangway : one of the seamen 
was coming up the quarter-deck ladder at the moment when 
the fish, entering the port, struck the astonished mariner on 
the temple, knocked him off the step, and very nearly threw 
him down at full length. 
“ The amiable Humboldt good-naturedly .suggests that 
the flight of these fish may be mere gambols, and not proofs 
of thfeir being pursued by their enemy, the dolphin. I wish 
I could believe so, for it were much more agreeable to 
suppose that at the end of a fine sweep which they 
take, they fall safely on the bosom of the sea. I do not 
recollect whether that eminent traveller, who not only 
observes many more things than most men, but describes 
them much better, has anywhere mentioned his having 
witnessed one of these chases. The best I remember was 
during the first voyage I ever made through those regions 
of the sun, the Tropical seas, and I will describe it : — 
“ We were stealing- along pleasantly enough under the 
influence of a newly-formed breeze which, as yet, was con- 
fined to the upper sails, and every one was looking, open- 
mouthed to the eastward, to catch a little cool air, or was 
congratulating his neighbour on getting rid of the calm, in 
which we had been so long half-roasted, half-suffocated, 
when about a dozen Flying Fish rose out of the water and 
skimmed away to windward, at the height of ten or twelve 
feet above the surface ; shortly after, we discovered two or 
three dolphins ranging past the ship in all their beauty. 
Presently the ship in her course put up another shoal of 
these little creatures, which flew in the same direction which 
the others had taken. A large dolphin, which had been 
keeping company with us at the depth of two or three 
fathoms, and, as usual, glistening most beautifully in the 
sun, no sooner detected our poor, dear, little friends taking 
wing, than he turned his head towards them, and darting to 
the surface, leaped from the water with a swiftness little 
short, as it seemed, of a cannon-ball. But although the 
force with which he shot himself into the ail- made him 
gain upon the Flying Fish at first, yet the start which they 
had got enabled them to keep a-head of him for a consider- 
able time. The length of the dolphin’s first spring could 
not be less than ten yards, and after he fell we could see 
him gliding like lightning through the water, for a moment, 
when he again rose and shot forward with a speed consider- 
ably greater than at first, and of course, to a still greater 
distance. In this manner the merciless pursuer seemed to 
stride along the sea with fearful rapidity, whilst his brilliant 
coat sparkled and flashed in the sun quite splendidly. As 
he fell headlong on the water, at the end of each huge leap, 
a series of circles were sent far over the still surface which 
lay as smooth as a mirror. 
“ The group of Flying Fish, thus hotly pursued, at length 
dropped into the sea, but we were rejoiced to observe that 
they .merely touched the top of the swell, and scarcely scenic 
into it — at least, they instantly set off again in a fresh and 
even more vigorous flight. It was particularly interesting to 
observe that the direction they now took was quite different 
from the one in which they had set out ; thus implying- that 
they had detected the fierce enemy who was following them 
with giant steps along the waves, and was now rapidly 
gaining upon them — his terrific pace, indeed, was two or 
three times as swift as theirs — poor, little thing-s. The 
dolphin was fully as quick-sighted as the Flying Fish, for 
whenever they changed their flight in the smallest degree, 
he lost not the tenth part of a second in shaping a new 
course in pursuit ; whilst they, in a manner really not unlike 
that of the hare, doubled more than once upon their pursuer. 
But it was soon too plainly to be seen that the strength and 
confidence of the Flying Fish was fast ebbing. Their flights 
became shorter and shorter, and their course more fluttering 
and uncertain, whilst the enormous leaps of the dolphin 
appeared only more vigorous at each bound. At last, indeed, 
we could see, or fancied we could see, that this skilful sea- 
sportsman so arranged all his springs that he contrived to 
fall at the end of each, just under the very spot at which 
the exhausted Flying Fish were about to drop. Sometimes 
this took place at too great a distance for us to see from the 
deck exactly what had happened ; but on our mounting into 
the rigging, we could discover that many of the unfortunate 
little creatures, one after another, either fell into the 
dolphin’s jaws as they lighted on the water, or were snapped 
up instantly afterwards.” 
We have enjoyed several opportunities of watch- 
ing the progress and results of these sea-lmnts. It 
frequently happens, too, that as the ship lays over, 
and the passing wave leaps joyously up, several 
members of a shoal will pay an unceremonious visit 
to the deck or quarter-boats, when some active 
Jack Tar soon pounces on and secures them. 
Mr. D’Ewes relates the following anecdote, show- 
ing the unexpected manner in which Flying Fish 
sometimes intrude where their presence is unde- 
sirable, and the alarming consequences occasionally 
caused by the intrusion : — - 
“ We were,” he says, “ soated at the cuddy table at 
breakfast, on a broiling morning in the Tropics, when 
suddenly a loud cry of terror issued from one of the side 
cabins occupied by Captain B s and his newly-married 
wife, who were en route to Madras. A sudden rush was 
made to the door of the cabin in question, and the cause 
was soon explained. Madame, who was leaving her 1 High- 
land home ’ for the first time in her life, and whose rather 
robust figure, golden hair, and freckled complexion, were all 
decidedly anti-tropical, had been reclining in her cot in a 
state of light dishabille, the upper part of her person close 
