B. Till.] THE HISTOEY OF ANIMALS. 229 



dissolved. The same thing also happens with other fish. 

 The older fish are distinguished by the size and hardness 

 of their scales ; an old tunny has been taken which weighed 

 fifteen talents, and the length of the tail was two cubits 

 and a span. 



5. River and pond fish are most excellent, after depositing 

 their ova and semen, and recovering their fiesh. Some of 

 them, however, are good while pregnant, as the saperdis ; 

 and others bad, as the glanis. In all the male is better than 

 the female ; but the lemale glanis is better than the male. 

 Those which they call female eels are better than the males. 

 They call them females, though they are not so, but only 

 differ in appearance. 



