FLYING-FISH. 
11 
more taper at the extremities than that of the species 
hitherto common.* 
Nov. 2Sth . — Five of the little Blue-backed Flying- 
fishes flew on board early in the morning, by which 
I was enabled to secure specimens, and to make a 
careful drawing while the colours were yet undimmed. 
The brilliancy of the deep-blue on the upper parts, 
and of the burnished silver of the sides and belly is 
very striking. While passing Radonda, a rock to 
the north of Montserrat, multitudes of this species 
* This is the “ Volador” of Parra (pi. xv.), but certainly not the 
Exocoetus mesogaster of Cuv. et Val., which those learned zoologists 
have identified with Parra’s Volador, after Bloch. They describe 
their mesogaster as having the pectorals of the same deep blue tint as 
the back, with a large transverse band ; the ventrals of the same deep 
colour, with white at the base of the internal ray, and a little at the 
tip of the second external ray ; the dorsal and caudal, grey ; the anal 
white. Its length is seven inches French, or nearly seven and a half 
inches English. How importantly this differs from the species men- 
tioned in the text will appear from the following description of the 
latter : — 
Back deep blue ; sides and belly pearly : pectorals perfectly hya- 
line and colourless, except a tinge of black on the basal half of the 
interspace between the first and second rays ; no trace of any band ; 
ventrals colourless ; dorsal colourless for the basal half, the terminal 
moiety black ; caudal white ; anal colourless. The anterior part of 
the pectorals, and of the ventrals, runs out in a short point; the in- 
sertion of the latter is just midway between the extremity of the lower 
jaw and the fork of the caudal. The eye is large, the iris is blue, 
tinged with yellow anteriorly ; the muzzle is tipped with black. 
Total length five inches. 
Fin-ray formula. P. 13. — D. 12. — V. 7. — A. 13. — C. 19. 
Believing that this species, though allied to mesogaster, is distinct 
from it, and as yet unnamed, I propose to honour it with the appellation 
of Exoc. Hillianus, after the name of Richard Hill, Esq., of Jamaica, 
a gentleman, whose scientific attainments are equalled only by his 
urbane manners, and truly estimable character. 
B 6 
