AMPHIOXUS LANCEOLATUS. 515 



fig. 18), although by no means common, is occasion- 

 ally to be met with upon our coast, and is at once 

 recognizable by the flattened oval adhesive disc, 

 situated upon the top of its head, by means of which 

 singular contrivance the creature is able to attach 

 itself firmly to the surface of other fishes, or to the 

 bottoms of ships; but whether for protection or 

 convenience, is a question not yet satisfactorily ascer- 

 tained. Long before the invention of railways, the 

 little Remora was enabled to appreciate to the 

 fullest extent the advantages to be derived from rapid 

 travelling and cheap fares, indulging itself with both 

 to its heart's content whenever inclined for an excur- 

 sion ; and, moreover, by no means restricted to some 

 given line of road, inasmuch as, simply selecting any 

 passing shark, or other fleet conveyance, without even 

 the ceremony of taking a ticket, it is able to assume 

 possession of its outside place, and whenever it chooses, 

 by the mere detachment of its adhesive disc, it at 

 once alights, without troubling itself at all about " the 

 company's servants." 



We can easily imagine the envy with which such 

 privileges were regarded in ancient times, and are 

 scarcely surprised that a poor little fish thus emi- 

 nently favoured should soon become a mark for the 

 shafts of detraction and slander ; nay, that it should 

 be accused of crimes and misdemeanors to which the 

 sin of witchcraft was venial. That a witch could ride 

 on a broomstick was mere child's play in comparison 

 with the atrocious feats of the Echeneis, that is able, 

 as we are told, to arrest the progress of a man-of-war 

 in full sail (fyevrfte, e^o> vaO?, holding ships back), 



