70 
THE SAVAGE WORLD. 
coast is a dusky brown in color, w T hich some persons are imaginative enough 
to call sapphirine. It rarely exceeds a foot in length, and though classed 
among the hying fish it can only leap a short distance, nor are its swimming 
powers specially great, though it is certainly well equipped with propulsive ener¬ 
gies. When first 
taken out of the 
water it utters a 
noise somewhat 
like the low, sup¬ 
pressed croak of a 
frog. The true 
flying gunard is 
found in warmer 
waters, and it is 
particularly abun¬ 
dant in the Indian 
Ocean. In this 
species the head is 
very blunt and the 
pectorals spinous, 
but the habits of all 
varieties, of which 
there are twelve, 
are very similar. 
The Lancet 
Fish, like the 
sponge, was for a 
long time unclas¬ 
sified as standing 
on the border line 
of the world of 
mollusks and the 
world of fishes ; it 
was variously as¬ 
signed to either. 
As the starting 
point of fish life, 
or the lowest fish 
form, it has special 
interest for the 
student of the de¬ 
velopment of ani¬ 
mal life, and the 
interrelation of the 
various species which go to make up the abundant and variable life in our 
world. The lancet fish is everywhere abundant, and shows the greatest indif¬ 
ference to changes of temperature. Its minuteness, added to its peculiar form, 
tends to protect it against its enemies, and likewise necessitates the use of the 
microscope by one who would study its structure or habits. Its respiration is 
FLYING GUNARDS. ANALOGY OF MOVEMENT BETWEEN BIRDS AND FISHES. 
