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Show FINS ARE .SIMILAR TO WINGS. Flying Fish Really Propel Themselves Through the Air. Docs tho flying fish really fly, or Is the so-called flight a moro extended leap, In which tho fins aro used on tho principle of tho aeroplane to float or rest on tho air, and so afford support sup-port to tho body? Tho question has been much discussed, and many naturalists nat-uralists havo denied It tho power of truo flight. Mr. Frank Dullen, who In his many voyagos has had unlquo opportunities op-portunities for observing tho flying flsli, Is emphatic In tho assertion that It docs really fly In tho proper sense of the word. Ho has seen It, for example, ex-ample, chango Its courso nt a sharp anglo when an ohstaclo Intervened, and when about to ro-entcr tho water ho has seen It rlso and contlnuo Its courso on seeing an enemy below, Somo recont observations contributed by Lieut. Col. Durnford to tho London Lon-don Annnls and Magazlno of Natural History, confirm this yiow. Tho writer contends that tho ordinary aeroplano theory Involves a mcchanl-cat mcchanl-cat Impossibility. Tho truo explanation explana-tion Is nn Intensely rapid vibration of tho wlngllko fins n vibration which becomes apparent to tho oyo as it slows down when tho fish reaches tbo wator. London Globe. |
