FLYING-FISH. 
9 
swimming creatures occurred within a hundred and 
fifty miles of the northern tropic, after our crossing 
of which they ceased. 
The common opinion that the motion of the Flying- 
fish through the air is nothing more than a vigorous 
leaf^ sanctioned as it is by many honoured names in 
science, I have long believed to be incorrect, having 
on several former occasions seen what appeared to 
me a distinct motion of the fins. To settle this 
point was one of the desiderata which I had particu- 
larly noted down on commencing this voyage ; and 
the result has fully confirmed my belief. The obser- 
vations as they occurred, I shall quote in the form 
in which they were recorded. 
Nov. — Lat. 19° ^4' K, long. 41° 5' W. 
Many Flying-fishes appeared in the course of the day ; 
the first we had observed. They were the silvery 
species commonly seen in the Atlantic, of middling 
size, with clear wings ; probably Exocoetus volitans. 
I now feel certain that these fishes have power to 
change their direction when in the air ; more than 
one, which I saw to-day, turned aside at nearly a 
right angle. 
Nov. 22d. — Flying- fishes leap from the sea every 
is about half an inch wide ; Guilding’s P. Linneana is stated to have 
a diameter of eleven and a half lines, exclusive of the arms. It differs 
from glandifera also in having numerous tentacles on the disk, and 
likewise in colour, the disk being carnation, with a blue margin be- 
neath, and brown above. The body of Linneana is described as of a 
caerulean hue. P. nuda and P. appendiculata of Bose were evidently 
founded on imperfect specimens. 
