Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/426

392 foundation of the excellent edition (or editions, it must be said) of Mr. Harting; and the late Prof. Bell, who lived for forty years in what had been White's house at Selborne, and, possessing advantages far greater than any of his predecessors or successors, was able to give so much additional information that his edition still remains, and is likely for many years to remain, the standard. His biographical memoir, too, contains more numerous details of the author than had been before accessible; but for a complete Life we must await that which his great-great-nephew, Mr. Holt-White, is understood to have in the press."

has written in the 'Strand Magazine' for July on the subject of "Sociable Fish." On the question of the sociability of the Pilot-fish with the Shark, the author writes as follows:—

"Does the Pilot-fish love the Shark? Does it even know that the Shark is a Shark, a slow, short-sighted, undiscriminating creature whose chief characteristic is that of never-satisfied hunger? In short, does the Pilot-fish attach itself to the Shark as a pilot, with a definite object in view, or is the attachment merely the result of accident? Let us see.

"Here is a big Shark-hook, upon which we stick a mass of fat pork two or three pounds in weight. Fastening a stout rope to it we drop it over the stern with a splash. The eddies have no sooner smoothed away than we see the brilliant little blue and gold Pilot-fish coming towards our bait at such speed that we can hardly detect the lateral vibrations of his tail. Round and round the bait he goes, evidently in a high state of excitement, and next moment he has darted off again as rapidly as he came. He reaches the Shark, touches him with his head on the nose, and comes whizzing back again to the bait, followed sedately by the dull-coloured monster. As if impatient of his huge companion's slowness, he keeps oscillating between him and the bait until the Shark has reached it, and without hesitation has turned upon his back to seize it, if such a verb can be used to denote the deliberate way in which that gaping crescent of a mouth enfolds the lump of pork. Nothing, you think, can increase the excitement of the little attendant now. He seems ubiquitous, flashing all round the Shark's jaws as if there were twenty of him at least. But when half a dozen men, "tailing on" to the rope, drag the Shark slowly upward out of the sea, the faithful little Pilot seems to go frantic with—what shall we call it?—dread of losing his protector, affection, anger, who can tell? The fact remains that during the whole time occupied in hauling the huge writhing carcase of the Shark up out of the water the Pilot-fish never ceases its distracted upward leaping against the body of his departing companion. And after the Shark has been hauled clear of the water the bereaved Pilot darts disconsolately to and fro about the rudder as if in bewilderment at its great loss."