. Mezz'ora con pesci, rettili e uccelli . n, mostra la ferocia di questi pesci. È probabile che quando colpiscono un'imbarcazione, credono che sia una balena o un altro nemico. La forza con cui questa spada è avvolta è formidabile, e una sola illustrazione basterà. La nave Fortune, dopo aver provocato una perdita in mare, è stato obbligato a mettere in porto.quando il carico è stato scaricato la spada di un grande pesce spada è stato trovato piercing lo scafo, causando la perdita. Aveva ARMI DI PESCI 69 penetrati (1) il rame; (2) un bordo di pollice sotto-guaina; (3) un tre-pollice di legno duro, (4) dodici
2576 x 970 px | 21,8 x 8,2 cm | 8,6 x 3,2 inches | 300dpi
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. Half hours with fishes, reptiles, and birds . n, show-ing the ferocity of these fishes. It is probable that whenthey strike a vessel, they believe it to be a whale or someother enemy. The force with which this sword is wielded is terrific, and a single illustration will suffice. The ship Fortune, having sprung a leak at sea, was obliged to put into port.When the cargo was unloaded the sword of a large sword-fish was found piercing the hull, causing the leak. It had WEAPONS OF FISHES 69 penetrated (1) the copper; (2) an inch board undersheath-ing; (3) a three-inch plank of hard wood, (4) twelve inchesof solid white oak timber, and (5) the head of an oil caskwhere it stopped, not allowing a drop of oil to escape. The swordfishes fight one another, and I once founda specimen which had been run through and through.They kill their prey with the sword by slashing fromside to side, cutting the small fry into pieces, then leisurelypicking them up. After a charge of a swordfish into aschool of mackerel barrels of wounded fish have been col-. Fig. 41. —Electric Catfish. lected by fishermen. The sawfish, one of the raylike fishes, has a terrific weapon in its sword which has some resem-blance to that of the swordfish, and bears upon its sidesivory teeth, which lacerate fishes under the heavy sideblows which the fish makes when charging a school, One of the rays, an eel, and a catfish (Fig. 41) are pro-vided with an electrical apparatus that is an effectivearmament and protection. The moment the torpedo rayis touched, its curious eyes are depressed and a powerfulshock is given, so vigorous a defense that fishermenhave been knocked down by it, the shock passing up thehandle of the spear which the men were using. The electric batteries of this fish lie on each side of the 7o WEAPONS OF FISHES head and resemble vertical hexagonal prisms crowdedtogether, each being a little cell filled with a clear jelly-like substance. Eight hundred of these cells have beencounted, and remarkable
