AND THE FISH THEREOF. 69 



of the height of summer, when the catch is small, and is chiefly limited to 

 line-fishing for mackerel and whiting. 



The Italian boats make their appearance on the eastern shores at about 

 the end of August, and begin to take their departure in April, and it is only 

 during their presence (where they are tolerated) that the markets are well 

 stocked ; in other seasons the produce of the trawl-nets is entirely wanting. 



When the North-Easter (Bora), or the South-Easter (Scirocco), is blowing 

 a gale, or during calms in the height of summer, and after Sundays and 

 holidays, the markets are mostly empty, and the time thus lost may be set 

 down at four months in the year. 



The fishing is carried on chiefly in the day-time, by preference at dawn or 

 at sun-set, and also by night, either with or without the aid of artificial lights. 

 The Italians get through a great deal of fishing on moonlight nights, which 

 are more favourable for catching the Scampi than dark nights, the proportion 

 being, it is said, as 5 to 2. 



PRODUCE.— PISCES. 



The Shark tribe has become much more numerous in the Adriatic of late 

 years, probably owing to the opening of the Suez Canal, some say in conse- 

 quence of the naval battle of Lissa in 1 866, having been attracted by the 

 smell of the decomposing bodies. 



The smaller ground Sharks are numerous and common all along the 

 shores of the Adriatic, and constantly furnish the markets with food for the 

 lower classes, the spiny Dog-fish (Acanthias) being the most valued, then 

 the Smooth-hound (Mustelus), the spotted Dog-fish (Scyllium), the Angel-fish 

 (Rhinidee), and lastly the Tope (Calais). 



The larger Sharks of the Pelagic order, which are caught occasionally, 

 such as the Blue Shark (Carcharias), the hammer-headed Shark (Zygmia), 

 the Porbeagle (Lauma), the Fox (Alopiai), the Notidanus, and other still 

 larger Sharks, which occur quite accidentally in these waters, are eaten only 

 by the poorest classes ; they are too uncommon to be of any use for the 

 extraction of the oil on a large scale, or for the sale of their fins, as in India and 



