JAN. 27, 1906.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 








Fishes that Fly, Leap and Run. 
THERE is a peculiar attraction in standing on 
the deck of a vessel in the waters of the warmer 
latitudes and watching the bright bits of ani- 
mated color that rise quickly from the surface 
of the great ocean and dart hurriedly away, their 
silvery sides shimmering in the sunshine and 
their gauzy appendages radiating iridescent light, 
There is an interest in the scene that seems to 
be continually renewed; familiarity with it does 
not divest it of its attractiveness nor breed in- 
difference to it. Those who witness it for the 
first time are invariably charmed, while even 
those to whom, by virtue of their calling, it is a 
most common sight, cannot disregard it. 
For centuries the flying-fish has been the ob- 
ject of curious admiration, af animated discus- 
sion and ‘of great sympathy. Of admiration be- 
cause of its remarkable habit of emulating the 
birds and because of its brilliance when, wet with 
the waters of the sea, it reflects the sunshine; 
of discussion, because quite different views con- 
cerning its method and power of flight have long 
been held; and of sympathy, because of the al- 
most unceasing pursuit of the fin-winged flyer 
by dolphin, bonito, albacore and other denizens 
of the deep. 
The family of flying-fishes, Exocetide, com- 
prises about sixty-five species and five genera. 
Representatives are found in all warm_ seas. 
They are mostly pelagic, commonly swim near 
the surface, and are remarkable for leaving the 
water and flying, or sailing, through the air, oft- 
times for considerable distances. The most com- 
mon species found off the Atlantic coast of the 
United States is Parexocatus mesogaster Bloch, 
which sometimes wanders as far north in sum- 
mer as the coast of Rhode Island. It also oc- 
curs in both the East and West Indies and in 
- the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. As widely 
distributed is the common flying-fish Exocetus 
volitans, described and classified by the great 
Linnzus in 1758. This species inhabits all warm 
seas, passing as far north along the Atlantic coast 
in summer as Newfoundland and the shores of 
England. It is also a species of the Hawaiian 
Islands. The coast of Florida has furnished 
three more species, Exonautes exsiliens Miller, 
Exonautes rondeletti Cuvier and Valenciennes, 
and Cypsilurus heterurus Rafinesque. The only 
flying-fish occurring on the Pacific coast of the 
United States is the California flying-fish, Cypsi- 
lurus californicus Cooper, also called the “great 
flying-fish.” This species, which is the largest 
flying-fish known, attains a length of eighteen 
inches and its power of flight is proportionately 
great. It occurs in great shoals among the Santa 
Barbara Islands, and is highly esteemed for 
food. 
While the entire family Exocetide are essen- 
tially marine, the little West African fish de- 
scribed by Peters as Pantodon buchholzi, and 
which is apparently the unique representative of 
the family Pantodontide, is mentioned by M. de 
Brazza, who has observed it, as a type of fresh- 
water flying-fish. 
The flying-fish supports itself in the air by 
means of its wing-like pectoral fins, which are 
wonderfully developed—often extending quite the 
length of the body, from head to caudal fin, and 
having, when expanded, a width considerably 
greater than that of the body of the fish. These 
fin-wings are not unlike gauzy fans, and when 
the fish is in the water fold closely to the sides 
of the body—which is, indeed, near the bases of 
the fins, slightly grooved to receive them—and 
in no wise impede their possessors in swimming. 
In some species the ventral fins are also highly 
developed and add not a little to the general wing 
expanse of the voyageur dans l’air. Some flying- 
fishes are provided with extra large “air blad- 
ders,” which they may have the power to fully 
inflate upon leaving the water and partially de- 
flate when returning to it. 
Though still denied by some observers, the 
power of propulsion through the air by means 
of its fin-wings is generally accorded the flying- 
fish. During months at sea in the tropics the 
writer has almost daily watched the flying-fishes 
and studied their flight through the air. Even 
as these lines are written they are about him, 
for Le is on a ship returning northward from a 
cruise to the equatorial regions of the mid- 
Pacific, and just now approaching the latitude 
of the Hawaiian Islands—though still between 
700 and 800 miles to the westward of that group. 
The difficulties of assuring one’s self that the 
flying-fish moves its wings during its flight 
through the air are well understood, and also the 
fact that these difficulties are generally removed 
when opportunity is afforded to observe the flight 
facilitate its progress in the air but, on the con- 
trary, may even retard it. That by this means it 
may vary somewhat the direction of its flight 
through the air, is granted; but that it cannot 
otherwise voluntarily do so, is not so readily ad- 
mitted, especially as one watches two or more fly- 
ing-fishes leave the water at practically the same 
moment, start out in the same general direction, 
and then, while each individual is apparently 
being influenced in a similar manner by atmos- 
pheric conditions, diverge or separate, either 
quickly or gradually—and without immersing the 
caudal fin—and re-enter the water at widely 
separated points. It is by no means impossible 
that flying-fishes “soar” as well as “fly” in the 
air—for even birds do this, and, doing so, change 
the direction of their flight at will. 
The aerial excursions of the flying-fish, as ob- 
served by the writer, vary in extent from a mere 
skip out of the water to a few hundred yards— 

“SHIMMERING IN 
of certain of the larger species under favorable 
conditions. That flying-fishes use their “wings” 
after the manner of birds, at least upon emerging 
from the water, can hardly be denied, since from 
the fo’c’s’le-head of a ship plying the waters of 
the lower latitudes, this wide, bird-like motion of 
the fin-wings may be readily observed as the 
larger flying-fishes break water almost under the 
vessel’s bow. This “flapping” motion of the fin- 
wings is not, however, long maintained, but, as 
soon as the fish is well started in the air, appar- 
netly passes into a vibratory motion of the ap- 
pendages, so rapid as to be almost beyond human 
visual perception. 
The power flying-fishes possess, and almost 
constantly employ, of varying their course, both 
horizontally and vertically, and the long dis- 
tances often covered in a single flight, are rather 
good evidences of propulsive power beyond that 
executed in the leap from the water. Obviously, 
the course does not depend upon the direction of 
the wind, for they fly with almost equal facility 
with it ahead, quartering, or behind. This state- 
ment is made advisedly, for the writer is well 
aware of contrary assertions, recorded by ac- 
cepted authorities. 
The flying-fish not infrequently dips its caudal 
fin in the water as it flies above it, though obser- 
vation shows that this act cannot materially 
THE SUNSHINE,” 
say a quarter of a mile—and with an elevation 
varying from a few inches to a dozen feet, though 
they are credited with accomplishing double the 
distance and with soaring to twice the height 
here mentioned. The limit to the distance trav- 
eled through the air at a single flight is usually 
said to be due to the drying of the fin-wings 
which, when dry, it is asserted, would be torn to 
shreds by the rapid vibration. 
Sometimes a single flying-fish is seen to rise 
out of the water and go sailing away, while at 
others large shoals, startled by the appearance of 
a vessel in their midst or by the approach of an 
enemy, hurriedly leave the water and scatter in 
many directions. A large shoal of flying-fishes 
appearing suddenly above the water on a bright 
day and scintillating in the sunlight as they dart 
quickly away is indeed a pretty sight. But the 
flying-fish does not ordinarily fly for pleasure. 
It usually leaves the water to escape from an 
enemy or when startled by the approach of a 
ship. Flying-fishes are excellent food, and are 
particularly enjoyed by dolphins, albacores, boni- 
tos and skip-jacks, which consume great num- 
bers of them. But, as can often be observed, the 
flying-fish does not always find safety in flight, 
for it is sometimes caught when emerging from 
the water and often falls into the very mouth of 
its pursuer upon returning to it. But there is 
