The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-08-12
FLYING FISHES FLIGHTS
Some Curious Habits of Catalina
Fish.
How They Fly and Climb-Hidiug Un-
der Jelly Fish-Interest-
Ing Facts and Old
Fancies.

Special correspondence to the HERALD.
AVALON, Aug. 9.-The story is told Of
an old Scotch lady, who after listening
to the yarns of her son. a returned sailor,
said that she could readily believe that
he had sailed on river of rum, but that
he had seen fish fly that. was too
much. At Santa Catalina the fish both
soar high above the water and some at
times leave 1t.
A few days ago strong wind was
blowing off Seal rock and a number of
fishermen were treated to a wonderful
exhibition of ground and lofty tumbling.
A school of large tunas were charging a
school Of flying fishes up the wind and
the latter were leaping from the water in
every direction and caught by it were
literally lifted 10, 20 and even 80 feet
into the air, their bodies Glistening like
flocks of silver against the blue sky.
Some times so would be in the air at the
same time, resembling flock of birds in
their fight. The question whether this
is q true flight or not has occasioned
much discussion, and almost every one
is willing to affirm that they can see the
wings or fms move up and down. The
flying fish leaves the water, flies an
eighth OF mile; has been known to
plunge through windows on the steamer
Hermosa; often flies upon the beach at
Avalon. and lately lady sitting on the
sand received one fairly in her lap.
Another lady was struck in the back,
and one of the boRtmen waa knocked
down and his eye blackened by one Of
these fish striking him at night.
The writer knows OF an instance on
the Atlantic coast where the man at the
wheel of a vessel was knocked down by
one and stunned-incident enough to
give the fier reputation as tish of re.
markable habits. Yet the fish does not
fly. When alarmed it rushes out of
the water at an angle OF about 40 de-
grees, by violent motion OF the tail,
using it as a scrsw. This act gives to
the entire body tremulous, vibratory
motion, Importing it to the wings, which
appear to flap; but second later the
fish is clear OF the water, and side and
under fins, or wings, are spread and
fixed, and serve simply as parschutes
to bear the fish up. Grsvity tends to
pull it down, but the air beneath presses
on the wings, keeping it up until the
momentum acquired by the screw-like
movement of tho tail is exhausted /;
then the tail drops and the moment it
touches the water the scrsw.like motion
10 begun, forcing the fish out OF the
water again.
This can be done four or five times,
especially when q tuna or albicore is
following, during which the fish scars
out Of water perhaps an eighth of mile
or more. 1t is the same flight as that Of
the flying squirrel and other soaring
mann mails.
The flying fishes are found in all seas,
but this OF Catalina waters is the largest
and most powerful. They can change
their course to a limited extent, but as
a rule rush away blindly.
In drifting in Avalon harbor / found q
very large jelly fish, with delicate
streamers, pumping along after the
fashion of its race. The food of this
jelly, that was 95 per cent water, was
little fshes which it trapped into its &C.
ductive tentacles, yet up among the
glass-like lobes were several little fishes
tinted the exact color of the jelly and
80 protected.
Almost every jelly fish in the high
seas has these little finny courtiers, that
live among tentacles that are certain
death to most of their tribe. but in
some way certain fishes have formed
friendship with the jsllies and live with
shem.
Throw Q bit of cray-fsh overheard in
shallow water near Sugar Loaf and
about it will assemble score OF little
fishes that sharp eyes are required to