Cliap. 9.] DOLPHINS. S7o 



narrow outlet®^ of this lake, at stated seasons of the year in- 

 numerable multitudes of mullets make their way into the sea, 

 taking advantage of the turn of the tide ; hence it is that it is 

 quite impossible to employ nets sufSciently strong to bear so 

 vast a weight, even though the fish had not the instinctive 

 shrewdness to watch their opportunity. By a similar instinct 

 the fish immediately make with all speed towards the deep 

 water which is found in a gulf in that vicinity, and hasten to 

 escape from the only spot that is at all convenient for spread- 

 ing the nets. As soon as ever the fishermen perceive this, all 

 the people — for great multitudes resort thither, being well 

 aware of the proper time, and especially desirous of sharing 

 in the amusement — shout as loud as they can, and summon. 

 Simo to the scene of action. The dolphins very quickly under- 

 stand that they are in requisition, as a north-east wind speedily 

 carries the sound to their retreats, though a south one would 

 somewhat retard it by carrying it in an opposite direction. 

 Even then however, sooner than you could have possibly sup- 

 posed, there are the dolphins, in all readiness to assist. They 

 are seen approaching in all haste in battle array, and, imme- 

 diately taking up their position when the engagement is about 

 to take place, they cut off all escape to the open sea, and drive 

 the terrified fish into shallow water. The fishermen then throw 

 their nets, holding them up at the sides with forks, though the 

 mullets with inconceivable agility instantly leap over them f^ 



on the shores of Languedoc, and refers to D'Astnic's Memoirs on the Na- 

 tural History of that province. The dolphins, however, he says, no longer 

 take part in the sport; and he observes that the same story is told by 

 JEHan, B. ii. c. 8, and Albertus Magnus, De Anim. B. xxiv., with reference 

 to other places. Oppian, in his Ilalieutica, B. v., makes Euboea the scene 

 of these adventures, while Albertus Magnus speaks of the shores of Italy. 

 Rondelet, in his Book on Fishes, says that it used to take place on the 

 coasts of Spain, near Palamos. Cuvier suggests, with Belon and D'Astruc, 

 that the story arose from the fact that the dolphins, while pursuing the 

 shoals of mullets, sometimes drove them into the creeks and salt-water lakes 

 on the coast ; a fact which has been sometimes found to cause the fish to 

 be caught in greater abundance. 



*^= Dalechamps tells us that the people of Montpellier call this outlet 

 *' La Crau," and that it is in the vicinity of Mangueil. 



86 "Were it not for the word " nihilominus " here, it would look as if the 

 meaning were, that although the ends of the nets are hoisted up, the fish 

 are so active that they jump over the side, and thus get enclosed. By the 

 use of that word, however, it would seem to mean, that although the sides 

 are hoisted up, the fish are so nimble, that they clear the nets altogether. 



