The Nautilus's fishermen had some trouble getting a grip on this animal, which, thanks to the formation of its gill covers, can protect its respiratory organs from any parching contact with the air and can live out of water for a good while. And I'll mention--for the record--some little banded blennies that follow ships into the northernmost seas, sharp-snouted carp exclusive to the north Atlantic, scorpionfish, and lastly the gadoid family, chiefly the cod species, which I detected in their waters of choice over these inexhaustible Grand Banks. Because Newfoundland is simply an underwater peak, you could call these cod mountain fish. While the Nautilus was clearing a path through their tight ranks, Conseil couldn't refrain from making this comment: "Mercy, look at these cod!" he said. "Why, I thought cod were flat, like dab or sole!"
“鸚鵡螺號(hào)”船上的人費(fèi)了好些勁才抓到這只動(dòng)物。這只動(dòng)物的鰓蓋骨構(gòu)造特殊,接觸干燥的空氣后還能保持呼吸,因此離開(kāi)水后還能存活一段時(shí)間。為了備忘,我現(xiàn)在要列舉出:叢魚,一種陪伴著北極海中的船只的小魚;北大西洋特有的銀白色尖嘴魚;伊豆鲉魚;我還注意到一種原則上屬于鱈類的鱈魚,在紐芬蘭島連綿的沙灘上和在這一帶它們偏愛(ài)的水域里,我都能意外地見(jiàn)到它們。聽(tīng)說(shuō)鱈魚是山里的魚,因?yàn)榧~芬蘭島就是一座海底山峰。當(dāng)“鸚鵡螺號(hào)”船只在魚群密集的地方開(kāi)辟出一條路時(shí),康塞爾禁不住評(píng)論說(shuō):“哦!這些鱈魚!我還以為鱈魚像蓋蝶和箬鰨魚一樣扁平呢?”
"Innocent boy!" I exclaimed. "Cod are flat only at the grocery store, where they're cut open and spread out on display. But in the water they're like mullet, spindle-shaped and perfectly built for speed."
“天真!”我喊道,“只有在雜貨店里的鱈魚才是扁平的。在雜貨店里,人們把它們破膛攤開(kāi)。但在水里,這種魚像鯔魚一樣是梭形的,很適合在水中穿行?!?/p>
"I can easily believe master," Conseil replied. "But what crowds of them! What swarms!"
“我相信先生,”康塞爾回答說(shuō),“一塊多密集的云啊,像螞蟻一樣密密麻麻!”