474 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book IX. 



which has been the betrayer of the others, and not to take it, 

 otherwise the shoal will take to night, and appear no more for 

 the future. 48 There is a story that a fisherman, having quar- 

 relled once with his mate, threw out a hook to one of these 

 leading fishes, which he easily recognized, and so captured it 

 with a malicious intent. The fish, however, was recognized 

 in the market by the other fisherman, against whom he had 

 conceived this malice ; who accordingly brought an action 

 against him for damages ; 49 and, 'as Mucianus adds, he was 

 condemned to pay them on the hearing of the case. These 

 anthise, it is said, when they see one of their number taken 

 with a hook, cut the line with the serrated spines which they 

 have on the back, the one that is held fast stretching it out 

 as much as it can, to enable them to cut it. But among the 

 sargi, the fish itself, that is held fast, rubs the line asunder 

 against the rocks. 



CHAP. 86. (60.) SEA-STARS. 



In addition to what I have already stated, I find that authors, 

 distinguished for their wisdom, express surprise at finding a 

 star in the sea for such, in fact, is the form of the animal, 

 which has but very little flesh 50 within, and nothing but a 

 hard skin without. It is said that in this fish there is such 

 a fiery heat, that it scorches everything it meets with in 

 the sea, and instantaneously digests its food. By what expe- 

 riments 51 all this came to be known, I cannot so easily say ; 

 but I am about to make mention of one fact which is more re- 

 markable still, and which we have the opportunity of testing 

 by every day's experience. 



48 Oppian, Halieut. B. iii. c. 305, et seq., tells a similar story as to the 

 mode of taking the anthias, with some slight variation, however. 



49 " Damni formulam editam." 



50 Cuvier says, that the star-fish, the Asterias of Linnaeus, is covered 

 with a callous shell without, and has within only the viscera and the ovaria, 

 apparently without any muscles. Aristotle reckons it among the fishes 

 which he calls ovTpaKodsppaTa, or hard-shelled fish ; while, on the other 

 hand, JElian, Hist. Anim. B. xi. c. 22, reckons it among the fiaXaKoorpafca, 

 or soft-shelled fish. 



51 Cuvier says, that Pliny has good reason to say that he does not know 

 upon what authority this power hus been attributed to the star-fish ; as it 

 is altogether fabulous. 



