THE OCEAN WORLD. 
560 
maxillary palatine and maxillary bones are rather sparingly furnished 
with teeth, and those are long and hooked. Similar teeth are observ- 
able on the tongue. The ventral fins are placed far back, and the 
dorsal fin is placed opposite the anal fin, on the hinder extremity of 
the body. 
Only two species of this genus are known : the one of the Mediter- 
ranean, Stomia bea (Fig. 380), the other of the Atlantic Ocean, S. 
Fig. 3B0. Stomia bea. 
barbatus, so called from the long larbula on the chin. Both species 
are black in colour, with numerous small silvery spots on the ab- 
domen. The body of /S', bea is thin, compressed, covered with little 
thin scales of blackish blue, much spotted on the back and abdomen, 
a little brighter on the sides — the head, in some respects, recalling 
that of a serpent. 
Flying is so much associated in our minds with the usual denizens 
of the air, that the idea of flying-fishes seems to be a contradiction. 
Nevertheless, some fishes possess that power, the fins being transformed 
into wings, which they are enabled to raise for a few seconds. These 
wings, however, are neither long nor powerful, for it rather acts the 
part of a parachute than wings. The distinguishing character of the 
Exoccetus, or flying-fish, are the pectoral fins, nearly the length of the 
body, the head flattened above and on the sides, the lower part of the 
