Handbook of the marine and freshwater fishes of the British Islands : (including an enumeration of every species) . ped oppositethe anal one towards the caudal region ; no adipose fin;air-bladder without a pneumatic duct. This family includes the Gar-fish, Gor-bill, or Long-nose(Belone vulgaris), No. 157; the Saury Pike or Skipper(Scombresox sauius), No. 158 ; and the Flying-fish {Exocetusevolans), No. 159. The two first-named types are com-pressed elongated forms remarkable for the beak-likeprolongation of their upper and lower jaws, suggestive of OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 89 the modification a
Handbook of the marine and freshwater fishes of the British Islands : (including an enumeration of every species) . ped oppositethe anal one towards the caudal region ; no adipose fin;air-bladder without a pneumatic duct. This family includes the Gar-fish, Gor-bill, or Long-nose(Belone vulgaris), No. 157; the Saury Pike or Skipper(Scombresox sauius), No. 158 ; and the Flying-fish {Exocetusevolans), No. 159. The two first-named types are com-pressed elongated forms remarkable for the beak-likeprolongation of their upper and lower jaws, suggestive of OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 89 the modification already recorded of the Sword-fish, onlyin these two instances it is the lower in place of the upperjaw that is the more developed. A remarkable peculiarity ofthe Gar-fish when boiled, is the fact that the bones assumea bright green hue ; this circumstance has won for it the titleof the Greenbone, and among the uninitiated has givenrise to the erroneous idea that the tint is due to the presenceof copper, and that the fish is therefore unfit for food. Avery interesting series of the metamorphoses of this species. FIG. 20.—FLYING-FISH {Exocetus volitans). from the egg to the full-grown fish will be found in thespirit series of the Day Collection. Young examples inwhich only the lower jaw is abnormally developed, wereoriginally described as a distinct species under the titleof the Half-beak (Hemiramphus). The greater Flying-fish {Exocetus volitans), No. 159, rarely captured in Britishwaters, in shape, size, and colour much resembles a Herring,with the exception that the pectoral fins are so enormouslydeveloped that the fish is enabled with their assistance to 9o MARINE AND FRESHWATER FISHES make long leaps, resembling flight, above the surface of thewater. It is in the habit of associating in shoals, and whereabundant, in the Mediterranean and more southern seas,is the favourite prey of the Dolphin-fish (Coryphcend), andthe Albatross, and other sea-birds, which pursue it un-relen
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