Fishes. 97 



We have fiirtlier to mention a number of fishes, which are always 

 to be found in the Aquarium, but posses^s no very striking- habits, and 

 scarcely need a detailed account, very little being- known of their lite. 

 First come the Sea-breams, much sought for by fishermen on account of 

 their splendid flesh. They comprise the Snapper (Pagellus epythrinus, 

 Fig'. 155), Box (Figs. 12 and 13) , and smaller allied forms, such as for 

 instance Oblata (Fig-. 14). When in the sea they hunt tog-ether in large 

 numbers the smaller Crustacea and other animals, though in part they 

 live on vegetable food. Besides these we have larger kinds, such as 

 the Sar, or Goatbream, Sargus (Fig. 41), Smaris (Fig-. 71) and the 

 more rarely found Black Bream, Cantharus (Fig-. 40); of which last 

 one specimen lived for five years in the Aquariiim. The most valuable 

 are the Gilt-head, Chrysophrys (Fig-. 38), and the Toothed Bream, 

 Dentex (Fig-. 39), with metallic marking- on the upper half of the 

 body. The former is caught all over the Mediterranean, often in salt 

 water and brackish lakes and lagoons, where it feeds on shell-fish and 

 is therefore caug-ht Avith such bait. The Romans bred them in ponds, 

 the Lucrine Lake yielding a large supply. The Toothed Bream is the 

 largest of all, attaining- a length of 3 feet and weighing- over 20 pounds. 

 It is a predatory fish and often takes the catch out of the nets. In 

 the Aquarium it displays g-reat activity and agility; one of these, also, 

 lived here for 5 years and was killed by an accident. By the side of 

 the brilliant Breams the black Sea-crow, Copvina (Fig-. 57), is conspi- 

 cuous by its sombre appearance. It is a quiet fish, usually associating' 

 with companions of its own species, and examining- the bottom of the 

 tank with great deliberation. Umbrina (Fig. 46), which is very like 

 it, is of more i-are occurrence. 



Of the family of Herrings may be mentioned — besides the Herring 

 itself, Clupea harengus, which occurs only rarely in the Bay — the 

 Pilchard or Sardine, Clupea pilehardus, and the Anchovy, Engraulis 

 enerasieholus. The latter was known to the ancients. Anchovy-fishery 

 is only of importance on the French coast, for the so-called Anchovy 

 which is imported from Norway is nothing- but the Common Sprat, Clu- 

 pea sprattus. Sardines, on the other hand, are as freqiient on the 

 English as on the French coasts, but are known to our fishermen as Pil- 

 chards. They are salted down in barrels and exported to Italy— particularly 

 Naples — to the number of 60 or 70 million fish a year; principally 

 for consumption during- Lent. The French Sardines diifer only in size; 

 the fish are cleaned, salted, plunged into boiling olive-oil, and packed 

 in the tins with which we are familiar; they are sold annually to the 

 value of 10 to 15 millions of francs. The experiment has been made 

 with some success of similarly treating the English Sardines. 



The whole genus Clupea lis ill-suited for a life of captivity, and 

 tlie Sardines will never be seen in the Aquarium; all experiments to 

 keep them have resulted only in their rapidly losing their scales 

 and dying. Visitors, however, will probably have an opportunity, during 

 their stay in Naples, of recognizing them in their fried condition at the 

 dining table. 



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