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A large flying-fish, measuring from the mouth to the extremity of its tail, 18 inches

Object Status:

Unlocated

Accession Date:

August 28, 1792

Primary Source Reference:

Dunlap's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia), 28 Aug 1792

Notes:

The Exocoetidae are a family of marine fish in the order Beloniformes class Actinopterygii, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven to nine genera. While they cannot fly in the same way a bird does, flying fish can make powerful, self-propelled leaps out of the water where their long wing-like fins enable gliding for considerable distances above the water's surface.

Specimen Type:

Dead/preserved

Peale's Common Name:

Flying fish