REMORA. 115 



naturalist, Commerson — an observer of high excellency — that its 

 mode of swimming, even under ordinary circumstances, is with 

 the back downward : a position which its general appearance in 

 the relative distribution of colour and action of the smaller fins 

 render probable, and which the act of adhesion in its final 

 operation must necessarily require. In this action the pectoral 

 fins are directed towards the back, and the ventrals are turned 

 in the contrary direction; so that each of these pairs is engaged 

 in performing what in other fishes is the office of the other; 

 and the Remora glides along the surface of that to which it 

 seeks to affix itself, until it has reached the place where it will 

 be least exposed to injury from the violent actions of its bearer. 

 A slight eff"ort of the sucking laminae displaces the fluid on the 

 skin; and then by a movement in its nature much like that by 

 which a boy contrives to cause his plaything of leather to adhere 

 to a stone, by which to drag or lift it, the fish remains firmly 

 fixed to the body that supports it; and from which a violent 

 direct effort is scarcely sufficient to dislodge it, although a 

 sliding movement in a forward direction may accomplish the 

 removal with comparative ease. From a remark of Commerson, 

 there seems reason to suppose that the adhesion is further 

 secured by some specific action communicated to the skin of 

 its bearer by the sucking organ, and by which its sensibility is 

 greatly blunted. Lacepede quotes the manuscript of Commerson, 

 as saying that on applying his finger to the organ of an active 

 fish, he found it powerfully affected with numbness, so as to 

 render it almost paralytic for a long time afterwards. 



It was this remarkable habit of adhesion that excited so much 

 wonder in ancient times; for the explanation of which, as it 

 was far beyond the philosophy of the age, they were driven to 

 the resource of an occult quality; which in that day was a 

 common method of accounting for every obscure or otherwise 

 unaccountable appearance of Nature. Nothing was too wonderful 

 to lie beyond this ready method of explanation, and hence arose 

 an ordinary article of popular belief, that by attaching itself to 

 any moving object, and even to the largest ship, this fish was 

 able in an instant to stop its course through the waves, and 

 fix it in the midst of the sea immoveable as a rock. 



After arguing on this subject, and holding up to scorn the 

 doubts of unbelievers, Oppian represents his own and the ordinary 



