206 ON THE ECONOMICAL USES OF FISHES. 



The tunny fisheries in the Mediterranean are still 

 objects of great importance, though their value has 

 much diminished since the days of the ancients. 

 They are now principally carried on by the Sicilian 

 fishermen, who export a considerable quantity of 

 the fish in question in the dried state, chiefly from 

 Palermo. The tunny, although sometimes of enor- 

 mous size, is taken in nets of a peculiar construction, 

 of great strength, and of such size, that, according to 

 Scillius, twenty vessels might be filled by a single 

 cast. The numbers of this and other fish which 

 pass through the Bosphorus, in performing their 

 periodical migrations, is said to be absolutely in- 

 credible, immense numbers, principally young tun- 

 nies, being then taken with very little trouble. 



The sword-fish, Xiphias gladius, mentioned in 

 a former part of this volume, is another fish highly 

 esteemed by the Sicilians, who take it in rather a 

 singular manner. A man, stationed either at the 

 mast-head, or perched on a neighbouring rock, gives 

 notice to his comrades when a fish is seen. They 

 immediately make for the spot, and strike the sword- 

 fish with a harpoon, to which is attached a long line, 

 by which their prey, after being exhausted by a 

 struggle, sometimes of several hours duration, is at 

 length drawn on board. The ancient manner of 

 taking this fish, as described by Strabo, appears to 

 be quite the same as that which we have just de- 

 scribed. The fish, when taken, is generally cut in 

 pieces, and salted for future use, as comparatively 



