in 1861 and who published some 400 papers on botany, zoology 
and related subjects, states that, to the best of his knowledge, his 
monograph is ‘“‘the first attempt to present this subject as a 
special study’’. Ernst cites Aristotle’s reference in his History of 
Animals to fish dying of ‘‘plomos’’, with which the Greeks 
fished in certain rivers and reservoirs. He further states that the 
Phoenicians caught ocean fish in this way. Although there are 
dissenting opinions, most translators agree that “‘plomos”’ Is a 
plant. Ernst believes this to be true, since even today, in Greece, 
Verbascum sinuatum is known by the common name “‘plomos’”’ 
or ‘‘phlomos’’. Nevertheless, he warns that Aristotle’s word 
‘*plomos’’ might refer to more than one plant, since vernacular 
names are often confused or are applied to plants with actual or 
fancied similarities. Ernst also refers to Dioscorides’ mention of 
a plant known as “‘tithymalos platyphyllos’’ which resembles 
‘‘phlomos’’ and which, crushed and thrown into water, kills 
fish. This plant, Euphorbia Platyphylla, is toxic to fish. Ernst 
quotes Pliny’s statement, “‘pisces necat’’. 
Verbascum was used for drugging fish in Spain during the 
Moorish occupation. King Juan I] prohibited its use in 1453, and 
his edict was followed by similar laws under Carlos I and Felipe 
II. In 1805 the law read: ‘‘from now on, no person of whatever 
rank or condition he be, may throw into rivers quicklime bait, 
nor henbane, nor flax-leaved daphne, nor mullein, nor any other 
poisonous substance with which fish are killed or stunned’’. 
Obviously, then, the use of Verbascum — verbasco or bar- 
basco — was common enough in Spain so that Spaniards arriv- 
ing in the New World and encountering fish-poisoning as a 
native technique, would apply to plants so employed, the com- 
mon name of familiar plants used for the same purpose. 
Ernst further speculates about the reason that Spain did not 
extend this prohibition of fishing with poisons to the American 
possessions. In 1828 a law was passed in Venezuela stipulating 
that ‘‘no owner of a hato (cattle ranch), owner of a farm, over- 
seer, Or anyone whatsoever, may fish with barbasco or other 
kinds of poison in those streams or rivers which, although on 
their lands, can endanger cattle or their neighbors”’ (1). In spite 
of this law, fish-drugging is practiced to this day in remote areas 
of the country, and apparently goes unpunished. 
oi 
