376 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book IX. 



while the dolphins, on the other hand, are waiting in readiness 

 to receive them, and content themselves for the present with 

 killing them only, postponing all thoughts of eating till after 

 they have secured the victory. The battle waxes hot apace, 

 and the dolphins, pressing on with the greatest vigour, 

 readily allow themselves to be enclosed in the nets ; but in 

 order that the fact of their being thus enclosed may not urge 

 the enemy to find additional means of flight, they glide 

 along so stealthily among the boats and nets, or else the swim- 

 mers, as not to leave them any opening for escape. By leaping, 

 which at other times is their most favourite amusement, not 

 one among them attempts to make its escape, unless, indeed, 

 the nets are purposely lowered for it ; and the instant that it 

 has come out it continues the battle, as it were, up to the very 

 ramparts. At last, when the capture is now completed, they 

 devour those among the- fish which they have killed; 87 but 

 being well aware that they have given too active an assistance 

 to be repaid with only one day's reward, they take care to wait 

 there till the following day, when they are filled not only with 

 fish, but bread crumbs soaked in wine as well. 



CHAP. 10. OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS RELATING TO DOLPHINS. 



The account which Mucianus gives of a similar mode of 

 fishing in the lasian Gulf differs from the preceding one, in 

 the fact that there the dolphins make their appearance of cheir 

 own accord, and do not require to be called : they receivetheir 

 share from the hands of the people, each boat having its own 

 particular associate among the dolphins ; and this, although the 

 fishing is carried on at night-time by the light 88 of torcles. 



If the latter is the meaning, Pliny probably intends to speak only )f what 

 some of them are able to do : otherwise it is hard to see of what utility the 

 nets were in the operation. 



87 " Quos interemere." Pintianus suggests " aequo interim jure " 

 "with equal rights," instead of these words, and Pelicier does nd; disap- 

 prove of the suggestion ; for .Mian states, in B. ii. c. 8, Hist. Anin., th;it 

 the dolphins used to share the fish equally with the fishermen of Euboea. 

 But, as Hardouin says, the words " quos interemere " have reference to the 

 statement above, that " they content themselves for the present witfi killing 

 them only." And besides, if the fishermen gave them an equal stare, it is 

 not likely that they would give them still more of the fish on the following 

 day. 



86 JElian also mentions this, Hist. Anim. B. ii. c. 8. 



