BARRACUDAS. REMORAS AND OTHERS 177 



fish, which is common in the Nile and in other parts of tropical 

 Africa, has the remarkable habit of habitually swimming 

 upside down — a fact that must have beenfamiliar'to the ancient 

 Egyptians, who have frequently depicted the fish in this 

 position. 



There is a very ancient belief, often encountered in classical 

 and medieval literature, that the Remoras are able to impede 

 the progress of sailing vessels or even to stop them altogether. 

 Mr. Radcliffe. in his book, ' Fishing from the Earliest Times ', 

 tells us that the Roman author, Pliny, " solemnly asserts 

 that the death of the Emperor Caligula was presaged by a 

 Remora stopping his great galley, alone out of all the accom- 

 panying fleet, on his voyage to Antium. Not only did the 

 Remora stop a ship, but according to Pliny, it could, from its 

 power of checking the natural actions of the body under 

 excitement, hasten or stay an accouchement as well as a law 

 suit : hence plaintiffs seldom ventured into the fish-markets, 

 because the mere sight of a Remora at such a juncture was 

 most inauspicious ! " The scientific name Echeneis, from two 

 Greek words meaning " to hold back " and " ship ", and 

 Remora, an ancient Latin name meaning " holding back ", 

 both refer to this alleged power of impeding vessels, a power 

 which is, of course, purely mythical. 



The flesh of the Remora does not seem to be much valued 

 as food, but the natives of various countries make use of the 

 living fish to catch turtles, fishes, dugongs, etc. A ring is 

 fastened round the tail of a living Remora, and to this is 

 attached a long cord ; the fish is kept in a bucket of water 

 until required, and is released when a turtle or other creature 

 is observed at the surface. The fish fastens on to the turtle 

 and the two are pulled in together. Some skill is required in 

 carrying out this manoeuvre, as the ring may be pulled off 

 the fish if undue strain is put on the line. 



FLATFISHES. 



(Order Heterosomata.) 



The Flatfishes represent another order of Bony Fishes, 

 the Heterosomata, the members of which have been derived 

 from Perch-like ancestors. They are unique among fishes in 



