But as
their enemies and their food must come from above them, they need both
their eyes placed so that they can always look upwards. In the picture
at the head of this article, you will see some Soles lying together
at the bottom. These are formed in the same way. They are white on one
side, which is always down except when they are swimming about, and a
very dark green on the other, so that they can scarcely be
distinguished from the mud when they are lying at the bottom. The
Turbot, however, as you see, is very handsomely spotted.
But there are much stranger fish than these flat fellows, and we must
take a look at some of them. What would you say if you were to pull up
such a fish as this on your hook?
[Illustration]
This is a _Hippocampus_, or sea-horse. He is a little fellow, only a
few inches in length, but he is certainly a curiosity. With a head and
neck very much like those of a horse, he seems to take pleasure in
keeping himself in such a position as will enable him to imitate a
high mettled charger to the greatest advantage. He curves his neck and
holds up his head in a manner which few horses adopt, unless they are
reined up very tightly.
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