ib ACANTHOPTERYGII. MULLID.E. 



colour is a delicate pink, interrupted by three or 

 four pale yellowish bands which run down the 

 sides. The scales, however, which are very large, 

 are removed with a slight degree of force ; and 

 wherever this occurs, there is a deposit of blood 

 at the injured part below the outer skin ; mani- 

 fested by the colour becoming then of a purplish 

 red, and hence we so commonly see this iish, 

 especially after it has been handled, marbled with 

 patches of purple and scarlet upon the delicate 

 rose-colour of the ground. 



The Surmullet is much esteemed for the table ; 

 the flesh is of agreeable flavour, and easy of di- 

 gestion. It is customary to prepare it for cooking 

 without drawing, like the Woodcock ; the reason 

 in both cases being that the food consists of soft 

 molluscous or annellidous animals, of which little 

 traces remain in the intestines. The Romans 

 carried their admiration of this fish to a most 

 extravagant pitch in the luxurious times of the 

 Empire. The satirical poets, lashing the vices 

 and follies of the age, have given us some par- 

 ticulars of this mania, only surpassed by the 

 Tulip-madness which raged in Holland in the 

 17th century, when a sum equal to 425/. sterling, 

 together with a carriage, horses, and harness, was 

 given for a single bulb. One Calliodorus gave a 

 sum of money equal to ten guineas for a Surmul- 

 let of four pounds' weight; one of six pounds was 

 bought for 48/.; one still larger for 64/.; and 

 three of equal size were purchased by the Em- 

 peror for the same entertainment at the enormous 

 price of 243/. IO5. At length Tiberius attempted 

 to restrain the extravagance by imposing a tax 

 upon all provisions brought to market. 



