31 章鱼(4)
There were American triggerfish for which nature has ground only black and white pigments, feather-shaped gobies that were long and plump with yellow fins and jutting jaws, sixteen-decimeter mackerel with short, sharp teeth, covered with small scales, and related to the albacore species. Next came swarms of red mullet corseted in gold stripes from head to tail, their shining fins all aquiver, genuine masterpieces of jewelry, formerly sacred to the goddess Diana, much in demand by rich Romans, and about which the old saying goes: "He who catchesthem doesn't eat them!" Finally, adorned with emerald ribbons and dressed in velvet and silk, golden angelfishpassed before our eyes like courtiers in the paintings of Veronese; spurred gilthead stole by with their swiftthoracic fins; thread herring fifteen inches long were wrapped in their phosphorescent glimmers; gray mullet thrashed the sea with their big fleshy tails; red salmon seemed to mow the wa一ves with their slicing pectorals; and silver moonfish, worthy of their name, rose on the horizon of the waters like the whitish reflections of many moons.
还有一些大自然给它们涂上黑白颜一色一的美洲箭鱼；一些长16公分、鳍部黄一色一、颌部突出、牙齿尖短、覆盖着小鳞片的身长肉丰的鲭鱼，它们属于白脂鲭的一种。此外，还出现了成一群一结队的羊鱼，它们从头部到尾部缠着一条条金带，摇动着闪亮的鳍，真像以前珠宝店奉给狄安娜的一精一品，罗马的贵族们对其尤为热衷，曾有一句谚语说：“捉到了就别吃了！”最后是披着翠绿一色一带纹的金黄一色一苹果鳍鱼，它们披着丝绸外衣像维罗尼德斯笔下的老爷们一样从我们眼前掠过；还有迅速摆一动一胸一鳍匆匆而过的多刺鲷鱼；长15英寸，被自己发出的磷光包，围着的磷光鱼东鱼；用多一肉的大尾巴拍打青海水的鳐鱼；好像在用尖利的一胸一，鳍把水波切开的红一色一鲑鱼；和名副其实的银白一色一月亮鱼，它们从海平面上跃出来，宛如一弯射一出淡白一色一月光的月芽。
How many other marvelous new specimens I still could ha一ve observed if, little by little, the Nautilus hadn't settled to the lower strata!
如果不是“鹦鹉螺号”船只慢慢地潜入深海层中，我还能观察到无数其他新异的鱼类呢！