190 BASS. 



but little sagacity in the way in which it gets itself into 

 situations of danger, but much of that quality in extricating 

 itself from the snares in which it is entangled. To this purport 

 Pliny and iElian express in prose what Ovid and Oppian give 

 in verse: that when encompassed with a net, it scoops out 

 with its tail a furrow in the sand, and there lies hid while the 

 net passes over it. 



In like extremity the greedy toils, 



With .arts more exquisite the Bass beguiles ; 



Low he descends when powerful fear commands, 



And scoops with labouring fins the fnrrow'd sands ; 



Lodged in that cave expected fate derides, 



While o'er his back the leaded foot-rope slides. 



Fishermen observe that they often deliver themselves from 

 the line by cutting away the hook; and they suppose it to be 

 done by means of the serrated cutting edge of the gill-cover. 

 But it is more probable that it is effected by drawing the line 

 across the teeth; which are numerous, and capable of acting 

 like a file or rasp. Oppian, in borrowing perhaps from Ovid, 

 gives also another and less likely explanation of their way of 

 escape : 



"The crafty Bass, whene'er they conscious feel 

 Deep in their jaws infix'd the barbed steel, 

 Writhing with restive fury backward bound, 

 The hook dismissing through the widen'd wound." 



The food of the Bass is the smaller fishes, shrimps and other 

 crustaceous animals, and sea-weeds; and they readily take an 

 offered bait. They are most frequently caught in summer and 

 autumn, when many circumstances combine to bring them within 

 reach of the fisherman; but they are rarely seen in winter. 

 It has been said that they breed twice in the year; but it is 

 doubtful whether with us winter is one of these seasons. 

 The young are seen in harbours and at the mouths of the 

 larger rivers in considerable numbers; but when full-grown 

 they become solitary, and prowl along the coast; for they do 

 not commonly seek the deep water; and although capable of 

 living in fresh- water, do not pass into it in preference. They 

 are widely distributed, but are by much the most abundant in 

 the southern counties of England and Ireland. They have 

 been found in the Tilth of Forth, but I believe no further 



