The bee., 1884-02-16
Flying Fish.

Flying Fish, or "sea-swallows,n as the,
are also called, because of their resem
blance to swallows in flight, are truly won
derful inhabitants of the deep. On frs
seeing them one might reasonably supposs
them to be birds. There are three or foul
branches OF the family, the more gaily
decked being found only in the Mediterra-
mean and Red Seas, while the common fly.
ing tish is met with all over the ocean with.
IN the tropics. Seldom or never does the Lit.
tie creature venture outside the warm
water of the tropical seas, his delicate Or
ganization rendering him unfit to brave the
| cold temperature of either north or south.
In size the fish is about equal with the her
ring 1t is of blueish brown color at the
top OF the back, white ON the belly. and
yellowlsh red on the tip of the tail and
inns. Its large pectoral fin stretches the
length of its body, and is of . deep blue
color. The tail is forked, the lower bend
being longer than the upper. The head is
scaly, and the whole body is squarish shaped.
Some of the fish have four wings. others
snly two. The fish clears the water by the
end of its tail, keeping its wings close un-
til free of the brine; it then flies with a
rapid motion till the wings become dry,
which generally happens in the course of
sixty yards. A touch of the water enables
1t to fly on about twenty yards further, and
then the fish returns to the sea, exhausted.
1t does not rise more than six feet above
the water, and seldom flies for more than a
hundred yards.
AS regards the line of flight, some peo-
pie profess to say that the fish fly against
the wind. This may be so sometimes, but
it is accidental; the fish fly just where they
imagine they may get out of the way of
bOnltas, albacOres, and dOrOdOs, their sworn
foes, who seem to spend their whole time
In hunting these unfortunate little crea-
lures. Often it happens that, in their anx
iety to get away from submarine enemies,
they fall into destruction in the air; for
sea-birds on the prOwl know that the flying
fish must come out, and wait for them ac-
cordingly, with all the patience of deer
stalkers.
The flying fish itself has not any teeth;
Its food, when time is allowed it to snatch
q meal, consists of shrimps, infusoria, and
the ther small kind of medusa. But at
best it must eat in haste, for the number
Of its destroyers is equalled only by their
voracity. Sometimes in their fright they
will come on board ship, Tapping down on
deck exhausted, and unable to rise again.
They have even been known to break the
glass of the pinnacle light, so great is the
force with which they impel themselves.
Light seems to form great attraction for
them, and they will fly at night in crowds
in the direction of glare. Advantage is
taken of this known fact by the fishermen,
who go out at night with nets rigged on
poles sticking out on all sides of the boat.
When the fishing ground has been reached,
a fire is made in brazier that is reared in
the middle of the boat. Soon the moths
of the sea are drawn to their destruction.
They come, see, and are conquered, falling
down helplessly entangled in the meshes
of the net. The supply of them, especially
in the Caribbean Sea, and around the West
India islands, seems to be inexhaustible,
and the demand for their bodies is commen-
surate with the supply.
We write our mercies in the dust; bn.
Affections we engrave in marble. Our mem
ories serve us but too well to remember the
latter, but we are strangely foIgetful of the
former.