544 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XII 



man Bshing with two lines, with the smaller of which he is catching his bait — 

 the same gaudy, coloured rock fish ; and, having caught them, he simply 

 transfers them to his hook, returns them to their native element after having 

 spat on them for luck, utters the well-known prayer " Bismillah " and hopes 

 for the best. These rock cod run very heavy at times, seldom less than 91bs. 

 or lOlbs., and I have seen them up to 651bs, and have heard of much heavier 

 fish beiuf^ taken. One evening, off Ras Tarshein, at the entrance to the 

 inner harbour, not so -sery long ago between the hours of 3-30 and 7-30 p.m. 

 I <^ot seven fish, all red rock cod, and three of them scaled 1321bs. between 

 them, the other four accounting for only 37*lbs. It is almost a pity to use a 

 oood rod at this fishing ; they, after their first run, are so given to sulk and 

 cling to the rocks, and in order to induce them to move you have to put on 

 such a strain, that you are very apt to spoil your rod, or give it a nasty 

 permanent set. 



But I love the rod, and as hand-lining is unto me as " the abomination of 

 desolation" so, straining or no straining, I always use the rod, and I always 

 advise others to do so. It is marvellous the strain you can put upon a fish 

 with a good rod. Few fish can stand it long, and when once you move them 

 the line generally shortens in somehow ; of course you will kill more quickly 

 with a hand line. 



But I must get on. Up to now I have only dealt with the two classes of 

 fish that form, as I say, the distinctive features of the fishing to be had in 

 and about Aden ; but this class of fishing is 2}J'imd facie comparatively deep 

 sea fishing. Before closing, I want to deal with another fish, which inhabits 

 much shallower water, and is seldom found in more than two or three 

 fathoms. Off the entrance to Zeila there are several coral reefs, to navigate 

 a ship among which is both difficult and dangerous, and although these reefs 

 are clearly defined, and marked off by buoys, ships of any considerable draft 

 do not generally go in nearer than about two miles from the landing place. 

 Again in Perim Harbour, on the right hand side as you enter and about 80 

 yards from the pier leading up to the lighthouse and troops' quarters, there 

 are si me beautiful patches, and it is to these I wish to direct your steps. 

 On all these coral and sandy patches is found the Lntianus roseus, a thick, 

 broad, heavy built fish, with a hump like a camel, and a coat of the most 

 beautiful scarlet hue. At times they congregate in preat schools, and when 

 in the humour they bite magnificently. They resemble a perch in many 

 respects, and though they have a thick, leathery skin, they are really first- 

 rate on the table if well-boiled and taken fresh. I have before me as I write 

 the details of two days' sport among the Lutianus, one at Zeila in 1893, when 

 the ships had anchored, and I had pushed off in a -sniall boat, made my way 

 over to the Fairway buoy, secured the boat to the buoy, and commenced 

 operations. Time from 2-20 to 6-30 p.m., single handed, except for two men 

 to work the boat. Basket ninety-seven fish, largest 11 lbs., smallest 21bs, Among 



