The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-18
FlYing-fish.

In the sea there are three flyers that
really, from the extent OF their flights. de-
serve the name. Those of our readers who
| have been at sea, especially in the South,
may have seen the common flying-fish,
with its blue-and-silyer body and lace
like, sheeny wings. From the crest of
blue wave they dart, singly or in fiocks,
ffuttering along, rising and falling, turn
ing in curves, and returning to the water
with splash-perhaps to fall a victim
To some watchful bonite Cor dolphin)
that has been closely following them be-
meath the water. These privateers of
the sea are their greatest enemies, as
they rise in the air following them under
water. and emerging just in time to
catch the luckless flyers as they descend.
The dolphins will take great leaps of
twenty or thirty feetin following the poor
tlying-tish, which, notwithstanding their
long wings and wonderful powers, often
fall victims to their tireiess pursuers
They frequently~fly aboard vessels at
night, perhaps attracted by the lights,
or, it may be, caught up by the wind
from the crest of some curling wave,
and carried high in air against the. sails.
The gurnard, though it has also long,
wing-like fans, presents otherwise total
~ different appearance. Its head is in
closed in bony armor, from which
project two sharp spines. Some of these
fish are OF a rich pink color, while others
are notified with red yellow, and blue,
and as they fly along over the water,
and the sunlight falls upon their glitter
ing scales, they seem to glow with
golden luster With such hard heads,
it will not be surprising information
that they are disagrceable fellows to
come in contact with; at least, so thought
sailor who was standing at dusk upon
the quarterback OF vessel, near one of
the West India islands. Suddenly he
found himself lying upon his back,
knocked over by monster gurnard that
with score of others, had darted from
the water, this one striking the man fair
~ in the forehead. The gurnards are
also chased by dolphins, and they are
frequently seen to rise in schools, To es-
cape from the larger fish. while hover
ing above them are watchful gulls and
man-of-war birds, ready to steal them
from the jaws of their enemiesof the sea-
In company with these fiying-fish may
often be seen curious white bodies, with
long arms and black eyes. They are
fying-sqHids, members of the cuttle-fsh
family, aud the famous bait of the New
foundland cod-fishermen On the Banks
they are often seen in vast shoals, and
during storms tons of them are thrown
upon the shore. When darling from
wave to wave. they resemble silvery ar
rows. often rising and boarding ships
in their headlong fight. So valuable
are they for bait, that four or five hun
bred vessels at ST. Pierre are engaged in
catching them by means of jiggers.
Many of the squid family leave the
water when pursued, Even the largest
of them. often forty or fifty feet long,
have been seen to rise ten or fifteen feet
in the air, and sail away as if propelled
by some mysterious force. their hideous
arms dripping and glistening. They are
certainly the largest and strangest of
the flyers without wings. From G. r.
Holders Flying Without WINGS an
st. Nicholas