158 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — MUGILIDiE. 



a salt water mill-pool at Looe, which contains about 

 twenty acres ; and the larger ones, having looked 

 about for a turn or two, often return by the way 

 they had come. When, however, the return of 

 the tide has closed the gates, and prevented this, 

 though the space within is sufficiently large for 

 pleasure and safety, the idea of constraint and 

 danger sets them on effecting their deliverance. 

 The wall is examined in every part ; and when 

 the water is near the summit, efforts are made 

 to throw themselves over, by which they are not 

 uncommonly left on the bank, to their own de- 

 struction. 



" When, after being surrounded by a net, two 

 or three have made their escape, and the margin 

 of the net has been secured, and elevated above 

 the surface, to render certain the capture of the 

 only remaining one, I have seen the anxious pri- 

 soner pass from end to end, examine every mesh, 

 and all the folds that lay on the ground ; and 

 at last, concluding that to pass through a mesh, 

 or rend it, afforded the only, though desperate, 

 chance of escape, it has retired to the greatest 

 possible distance, which had not been done be- 

 fore, and rushed at once to that part which was 

 most tightly stretched. It was held, however, 

 by the middle ; and conscious that all further 

 effort must be unavailing, it yielded without a 

 further struggle to its fate. 



*' The Grey Mullet selects food that is soft and 

 fat, or such as has begun to suffer decomposition ; 

 in search of which it is often seen thrusting its 

 mouth into the soft mud; and, for selecting it, 

 the lips appear to be furnished with exquisite 

 sensibility of taste. It is, indeed, the only fish 



