178 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
efforts to seize on the one side, and the arts of escaping on 
the other, are perfectly amusing. The dorado is seen, upon 
this occasion, darting after its prey, which will not leave 
the water, while it has the advantage of swimming, in the 
beginning of the chase. But, like a hunted hare, being 
tired at last, it then has recourse to another expedient for 
safety by flight. The long tins, which began to grow use- 
less in the water, are now exerted in a different manner, 
and different direction to that in which they were employed 
in swimming : by this means the timid little animal rises 
from the water, and flutters over its surface, for two or three 
hundred yards, till the muscles employed in moving the 
wings are enfeebled by that particular manner of exertion. 
By this time, however, they have acquired a fresh power of 
renewing their efforts in the water, and the animal is capa- 
ble of proceeding with some velocity by swimming : still, 
however, the active enemy keeps it in view, and drives it 
again from the deep ; till at length, the poor little creature 
is seen to dart to shorter distances, to flutter with greater 
effort, and to drop down at last into the mouth of its fierce 
pursuer. But not the dorado alone, all animated nature 
seems combined against this little fish, which seems pos- 
sessed of double powers, only to be subject to greater dan- 
gers. For though it should escape from its enemies of the 
deep, yet the tropic bird, and the albatross, are for ever 
upon the wing to seize it. Thus pursued in either element, 
it sometimes seeks refuge from a new enemy ; and it is not 
unfrequent for whole shoals of them to fall on ship-board, 
where they furnish man with an object of useless curiosity. 
The Wrasse includes several species, the most common 
of which is the Ancient Wrasse, or Old Wife. It is of a 
clumsy shape not unlike a carp, and covered with large scales; 
it has one large back fin, which consists of sixteen sharp 
spiny rays, and nine soft ones. The tail consists of four- 
teen soft branching rays, and is rounded at the end. They 
vary greatly in colour, some being of a dirty red, and others 
beautifully striped. They are generally found in deep 
water, adjacent to the rocks, and feed upon shell-fish. They 
grow to the weight of four or five pounds. 
Besides these species, Mr. Pennant has enumerated the 
Ballan, the bimaculated, irimaculated, striped, and gibbous 
Wrasse, the Goldsinm </, the Scomber, and the Cook. 
The Perch of Aristotle and Aufonius, is the same with 
that of the moderns. That mentioned bv Oppian, Pliny, and 
