Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-10-05
They Are the Most Remarkable Specimens
of Their Kind In the World.

They Are the Most Remarkable Specimens
of Their Kind In the World.
Eastern anglers unacquainted with the
California flying fish find novelty in it's
peculiar habits and characteristics. Fish
arc supposed to confine themselves to the
water, but fish that can fly does what
man is unable to do successfully.
The California flying fish which inhab.
its the coast from San Diego to Monterey
bay, is, of all flying fish of the world, the
most remarkable for superior powers Of
flight. 1t is no mere skipper. like the SO
called flying fish Of the Atlantic, common
ly known as the "skipjack, " but is true
flier, the same as a bird. The flying fish
swims rapidly, having an exceptionally
powerful tail On rising from the water
the movements of the tail are continued
some seconds until the whole body is out
of the water. While the tail is in motion
tho pectoral fins vibrGte rapidly and the
ventral fins are folded. When the action
of the tail ceases, the pectoral and ventral
fins are spread, and, so far as can be seen,
are held at rest On this plane Of out
stretched fins the fish seems to sail through
the air several feet above the water with
out any perceptible movement of it's wings.
AS the fish begins to fall the tail touches
the water and the motion Of the pectoral
fins begins again, enabling the fish to con.
tinue its flight for a quarter of a mile or
more, and ends by q fall into the water
with splash. While flying it resembles
a huge dragon fly The motion is swift.
At first it is in straight line, but this be-
comes DETECTED to curve, the pectorRl fin
on the inner side of the arc being bent
downward. The fish is able, to some ex-
tent, to turn it's course and shy off from a
vessel, although the motion Of the fish
seems to have no reference to the direction
of the wind. These fish are about IS
inches long Frequently they fly in focks.
One Of the amusements of the guests at
O seaside hotel near here is to spear flying
fish at night With a torch, rowboat and
spear the angler patrols tho ocean not far
from shore. The fish fly at the torch, thus
becoming easy victims of the spear. 1t Is
novel sport to have the fish literally fly in
to the boat Ardent sportsmen have tried
shooting these fish on the wing in the day
time with some success. The uncertainty
of flushing the game discourages many
gunners. When the fish rise it requires
close, quick shooting to bag them. No
dog is needed for retrieving. 1t is possible
here to shoot quail along the shore, step
into a boat and shoot fish on the waves.
Epicures say that flying fish properly
cooked are agreeable food.
The flying fish of the Atlantic is known
as the skipjack. 1t is member of tho
California flying fish family, but dissim-
liar in appearance. Large schools appear
on the New England coast in autumn. Il
is prosecuted by the ravenous inhabitants
of the ocean and offers an interesting
spectacle when trying to escape pursuers.
Multitudcs then mount to the surface,
crowding on each other as they press for
ward. When still more closely pursued,
they spring to the height of several feet,
leap over each other in singular confusion,
again sinking beneath the waves. Still
further urged they mount again, rushing
along the surface by repeated starts for
more than 100 feet without once dipping
beneath or scarcely seeming to touch tho
water, 1t has been judged that on occa-
sions moro than 90, 600 of these terror
stricken fish have been out of water to.
gethCr, striving to elude a hungry foe.
Though the fins of this fish are many they
arc small, and the pectoral far from large.
Consequently that they are capable of such
flights is wonderful. The angle of articu-
lation of the fins is well adapted to raise
the fish by the direction of their motions
to the surface. The power Of springina
comes from it's tail and flnlets.-San
Francisco Chronicle.