THE FISHERIES OF THE ADRIATIC, 



It has been shown what great variety the shores of the eastern coast 

 present in their physical characteristics ; owing to the protection afforded 

 by the islands, and the innumerable creeks, inlets, and channels, fjords 

 and bays. The same variety may be noticed in the formation of the 

 bed of the Adriatic. Towards the middle it is composed chiefly of mud 

 (fango), but near the coast it changes from shingle or sand to the lime- 

 stone rock, which forms the steep declivity of its shores. The fissures and 

 crevices furnish the favourite lurking-places and resorts of many of the 

 sedentary class of fishes, on the waving fields of zostera, which afford 

 protection to myriads of invertebrates, and over which many kinds of fish 

 love to hover, either in search of food or in order to seek protection from 

 pursuers. 



There are no large sand-banks, but this is in some wise compensated for 

 by their number. Between the shallow banks and the rocks are deep hollows, 

 where the temperature of the water remains low. These afford a favourite 

 resort to many kinds of fish, which there seek protection in summer from the 

 hot rays of the sun. 



Thus, each variety of fish has abundant choice for its particular predi- 

 lection. Those of the sedentary class, which are bound to a particular locality, 

 either by temperature, depth, comparative saltness of water, or nature of 

 bed or food, and have their fixed habitations, or places of refuge, amongst 

 the crevices of rocks, or amongst the zostera, tangles, or sea-weed, on the 

 precipitous slopes forming the sea-coast, or the bed of the sea, or on the 

 plateaux or sand-banks. Also those amongst the class of shore fishes which 

 are always on the move in search of prey, shunning, as a rule, the light of 

 day. Each kind has its particular fancy in the choice both of its lurking- 

 places, where it rests by day, on the watch for any prey that may pass 

 within reach, and for its hunting-grounds, which it frequents by night, some 



" Physicalische Untersuchungen im Adriatischen und Sicilisch-Ionischen Meere wahrend des 

 Sommers, 1880." Von den Akademie Professoren Julius Wolf und Josef Luksch. Wien : 

 Gerold. 1881. The maps appended to this work were exhibited at the Geographical Congress 

 at Venice, 1881, for which the authors received the gold medal. A reference to this work is 

 recommended to those whom the subject may specially interest. 



