242 FISHES

which is over three fect long. Another kindred group
consists of the eccentric, brightly coloured coral fishes,
with short, deep bodies, in which the scales are so
thick on the fins that the body line is quite obscured.
One of the most noteworthy of this group is the
archer-fish (Zoxotes jaculator), which catches insects
by shooting drops of water at them, and so making
them fall into the stream. This fish is about seven
inches long, and he can shoot five feet high, very
seldom missing his aim. There are other species
which have acquired the same curious habit. Next
to them are placed the scorpzenid fishes, which have
appendages about them like fronds of seaweed, in
which they hide and with which they tempt smaller
fishes to destruction. Then come the gurnards, which
have armed heads, and in the esculent genus, 7vig/a,
have the so-called ‘fingers’ as organs of locomotion
as well as of touch. Another genus of this group is
Dactylopierus, which comprises the handsomest of the
fishes that are enabled to take such long leaps out
of the water on their pectoral fins as to be called
flying-fishes. The next step gives us the weevers,
well known and hated by all fishermen for their
poisonous spines, one of which is on the operculum,
or gill-cover. The next takes us to the Scenzde,
including the maigre and the drum, and the next to
the Polynemzde, with the curious tactile organs form-
ing a detached portion of their pectoral fin. Close
akin to them is the West Indian barracuda, which
reaches eight feet in length, and is voracious enough
to attack man.

The mackerels have a higher body temperature