FISHERIES AMONG THE ANCIENT GREEKS AND ROMANS. 9 



e. The mackerel group. — The mackerel {Scomber scombus); the tunny 

 (Scomber thynnus); the scad (Caranx trachurus), and the swordfish 

 (Xiphias). 



d. The pipe-fish group. — The sea-horse (hippocampus). 



SECOND ORDER. 



a. The carp group. — The common carp (Cyprinus carpio); the tench 

 (Cyprinus tinea), and the loach (Cobitis). 



b. The eel group. — The common kinds of eel and the sea-eel (Anguilla, 

 Conger). 



c. The salmon group. — Nearly all kinds. 



d. The herring group. — Especially the anchovy (Engraulis encras- 

 icholus). 



THIRD ORDER. 



a. Sharks (squalus). — The dog-fish (Scyllium canicula); the blue shark 

 (Galeus vulgaris); and others. 



b. Rays (raja). — The saw-fish (Pristis); the cramp-fish (Torpedo). 



FOURTH ORDER. 



Lampreys (Petromyzon). — The river lamprey (Petromyzon fluvialis), 

 and the sea-lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). 



Besides these fish, whales, dolphins, lobsters, crabs, oysters, various 

 kinds of shell-fish and other sea-animals, that came within the scope of 

 the fisheries, are mentioned, and ought therefore to be noticed in this 

 place. In the following pages some of the most important fish, as well 

 as the mode of fishing for them, &c, will be mentioned ; then the salt- 

 ing of fish ; and finally we will see what Pliny says about the artificial 

 fish ponds, which will naturally lead us to speak of lobsters, oysters, 

 shell-fish, &c. 



THE MULLET. 



The mullet (mullus) was a great favorite with the Romans. Horace 

 says, "You praise, O fool, a mullet of three pounds, which you are 

 obliged to cut into several pieces;" and Martial praises the mullet, say- 

 ing, " The mullet of four pounds, which you had bought, was the chief 

 attraction of your feast," (ccenw pompa caputque fuit).* 



Noel de la Moriniere tells us in the following words to what length the 

 Eomans carried their passion for mullets : 



"The mullet was one of those fish that were most sought for in 

 degenerate Eome, aud it was made the subject of the most refined 

 sensual enjoyment with the emperors and the aristocracy, who had 

 become thoroughly depraved by the extravagant use that was made 

 of the world's plunder. It is difficult for us to realize the enormous 

 value which the Romans placed upon this fish, for as it never reaches 



*" Martial, Epigrams, s, 31. 



