AND THE FISH THEREOF. 75 



to do. By this means, many hundred are sometimes caught at a time, and 

 not a single one attempts to escape. The Gilt-head is one of the fish which 

 is reared in the artificial ponds {valli chiuse) of the Venetian lagoons, and 

 attains to a size of 2\ feet in length and 20 lb. in weight. 



The genus Pagrus is too scarce to be of much importance ; but the red, 

 or Spanish Sea-bream {Pagellus erythrinus) is both common and much 

 valued as food. P. mormyrus is not uncommon, but inferior in quality to the 

 foregoing species. 



The Scorpion family is represented by three species. One is the Scbastcs 

 impcrialis, a rare kind inhabiting deep waters ; and the other two belong to 

 the genus Scorpczna, of which S. scrofa is the larger, attaining to as much 

 as 4 lb. in weight, whereas S. porcus seldom exceeds 2 lb. They are shore- 

 fishes inhabiting the beds, and the latter generally appear in shoals ; their 

 name is due to the prickly nature of their dorsal fins, with which they are 

 apt to inflict painful stings, causing inflammation, if one is not careful in 

 handling them when alive. The gall of this fish is used as a remedy for 

 its sting ; they are generally caught by means of the trammel-net or shore- 

 seine, and belong to the second class of fish. 



Of the Meagre family, the Umbrina holds the first rank ; it frequents 

 brackish waters, and is reared in the ponds {valli) of the Venetian lagoons ; 

 it attains to 3 feet in length and 20 lb. in weight, as does also the Meagre 

 proper {Scicena aquila), a species which is, however, by no means common in 

 these waters ; the latter also frequents the mouths of rivers and brackish 

 waters, and makes a noise, or grunts, when taken out of the water, similar 

 to the gurnards. Corvina nigra is the third species of this tribe ; it frequents 

 the stony beds, where it deposits its spawn ; hence it is called *di sasso, or 

 di scoglio. The flesh of all three kinds is much esteemed. 



Sword-fishes belong rather to the exception in the Adriatic, although 

 common in Sicilian waters, where the fisheries constitute an important 

 industry, 1 their flesh selling as well as that of the tunny ; they are some- 



1 See " La pesca del Pesce-Spada nello Stretto di Messina." Messina : 1880. 



L 2 



