COMMON SEA BREAM. 125 



great eagerness at any bait, even of the flesh of their own 

 species. The food, both of the young and adult fish, is not, 

 however, confined to animal substance ; for they devour the 

 green species of sea-weeds, which they bite from the rocks, 

 and for bruising which their teeth are well suited, as are 

 their long and capacious intestines for digesting it." In 

 the stomach of one that was examined by Colonel Montagu, 

 were several small sandlaunce, limbs of crustaceous animals, 

 and fragments of shells. " In its general habits," Mr. Couch 

 says, " the Sea Bream might be considered a solitary fish ; 

 as when they most abound, the assemblage is formed com- 

 monly for no other purpose than the pursuit of food. Yet 

 there are exceptions to this ; and fishermen inform me of 

 instances in which multitudes are seen congregated at the 

 surface, moving slowly along as if engaged in some important 

 expedition. This happens most frequently over rocky ground 

 in deep water. 



" The Sea Bream is not highly esteemed for the table, 

 and is not at all in request when salted : hence, when abund- 

 ant, I have known it sold at so low a rate as two shillings and 

 sixpence the hundred weight !"" 



When at the sea-coast on fishing excursions, it has been 

 one of my customs to eat of the various fishes I could either 

 catch or purchase that are not in general use for the table. 

 With the example of Isaac Walton before me, I will venture 

 to suggest a mode of preparing a Sea Bream which materi- 

 ally improves its more ordinary flavour. When thoroughly 

 cleaned, the fish should be wiped dry, but none of the scales 

 should be taken off. In this state it should be broiled, turn- 

 ing it often, and if the skin cracks, flour it a little to keep 

 the outer case entire. When on table, the whole skin and 

 scales turn off without difficulty ; and the muscle beneath, 

 saturated with its own natural juices, which the outside cover- 

 ing has retained, will be found of good flavour. 



