122 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — SCOMBRIDiE. * 
it in both of its phases. In the warmer parts of J 
the Atlantic we have frequently watched with I 
delight^ some two or three of these little fishes, ji 
playing under the stern from day to day, attend- [ 
ing the ship on her course through many degrees 
of longitude ; always conspicuous in their livery 
of dark blue bands across a silvery-grey ground, 
as they turned hither and thither, and hurried 
to and fro in the dead-water” between the | 
rudder and the ship’s counter, sometimes shoot- I 
ing out a yard or two after some swimming atom, 
and then darting back to the favourite corner, j 
The singularly unequal friendship subsisting be- 
tween this little fish and the terrible White Shark 
we have also many times observed, and never 
without astonishment and admiration. Once, 
during a long calm, in a voyage to the Gulf of 
Mexico, as well as both before and after its pre- 
valence, these hateful fishes were perpetually steal- 
ing round the ship ; but we do not recollect ever 
having seen a Shark of any considerable size, 
without one or more of these Pilots attending 
him. This little creature generally keeps his 
station just over the head of the Shark, but some- 
times over one of the pectoral fins, within an 
inch or two of his body, turning when he turns, 
stopping when he stops, and never leaving him, 
except to swim a-head to examine some bait, i 
Having examined it, he instantly returns and re- 
sumes his place. It would really appear as if ■ 
some communication took place between them, * 
for the Shark, who before seemed quite unaware ' 
of the proximity of any food, on the return of 
the Pilot-fish instantly quickens his motion and 
bustles towards it. But an instance still more 
