PILOT-FISH, Ninterates &Wars, a fish of the family nomberidm, and belonging to a section of that family in which the first dorsal fin is represented by mere spines, and there are no finlets behind the second dorsal and the anal fins as in the mackerel, etc. The shape of the pilot-fish is very similar fo that of the mackerel. It is usually about a foot long; the general color silvery grayish-blue, five dark-blue transverse bands passing round the whole body. Its flesh is very delicate, and resembles mackerel in flavor. It is common in the Mediterranean, and appears to be widely diffused through the warmer parts of the ocean, often following ships for a long time and very far, in which way it has been known to come from Alexandria to Plymouth. It is, however, of rare occur rence, even on the southern codsts of Britain. It is supposed to be the pompiliax of the ancients, which was believed to point out their desired course to sailors. It is often seen in the company of a shark, and is therefore very commonly supposed to direct the shark to its prey. Concerning this many wonderful stories are to be found in the writings both of voyagers and of naturalists. It has been contended, on the other hand, that the pilot fish merely follows the ship along with the shark for the same object that gulls follow the steamboats on our coasts, to feed on anything eatable that may fall or be thrown overboard; or that it attends the shark in order to seize small morsels of its large prey.
The following statements of Dr. Bennett may be received with confidence: " I have observed that if several sharks swim together, the pilot-fiZnes are generally absent; whereas, on a solitary shark being seen, it is equally rare to find it unacompanied by one or more of these reputed guides. . . . The only method by which I could procure this fish was, that when capturing a shark I was aware these faithful little fishes would not forsake him until he was taken on board; therefore by keeping the shark, when hooked, in the water until he was exhausted, or, as the sailors term it, ' drowned,' the pilot-fish kept close to the surface of the water over the shark, and by the aid of a dipping-net fixed to the end of a long stick, I was enabled to secure it with great facility " (Gather ings of a much larger species of naucrates is found on the coasts of South America.