114 REMORA, 



in fact this fish does shun the close neighbourhood of land; 

 and Rafinesque, who seems to have studied carefully the fishes 

 of Sicily at Palermo, had not an opportunity of obtaining a 

 specimen. Hasselquist, also, does not name it among the species 

 he was able to find at Alexandria, in Egypt; although he 

 mentions the E. nauc7'ates, which is another of the same genus ; 

 and to which more especially some of the remarks of the ancient 

 writers must more particularly apply. iElian knew no other 

 than the E-emora, or Echeneis, that was of a dark colour, and 

 in shape like an eel, (b. ii, c. 17,) which answers only to the 

 species referred to by Hasselquist. 



There is no doubt, hoAvever, that both these fishes were well 

 known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, however they might 

 confound them together, according to their practice in regard 

 of species that displayed a likeness of habits, however they 

 might vary in shape. But what the ancient authors have chiefly 

 handed down to us about them, is for the most part limited to 

 what were the popular notions of the wonderful occult and 

 supposed magical powers with which their adhesive faculty was 

 believed to be accompanied. We have already seen that the 

 principal character of the E-emora is the apparatus which is 

 placed on the head; and modern observers have so far studied 

 the actions of this fish, when endeavouring by its aid to lay 

 hold of an object, as to instruct us with regard to the minuter 

 actions of the fish in accomplishing its object. 



It appears probable that under ordinary circumstances this 

 fish is inert; and although for a short time, and on the spur 

 of the moment, capable of active exertion, that it soon becomes 

 fatigued and listless. It is not in search of food, therefore, as 

 some have supposed mistaking it for the Lamprey, or supposing 

 these dissimilar fishes to have like habits but for the sake of 

 rest; and to be conveyed over a considerable depth of water 

 and for a long distance, with the smallest expenditure of effort 

 on its own part, that it thus lays hold, with the instrument 

 given to it by its Great Creator, of any one of the larger and 

 more active fishes, with which it is able to come into contact. 

 A Shark, Whale, or ship, which latter probably it mistakes for 

 a Whale, affords the required accommodation; and in approaching 

 them its motions are described as being with a sort of Avriggle, 

 with the necessary accompaniment, on the authority of the French 



