HUNTING AND FISHING OF ANIMALS 1569 



seizes the unfortunate ants and other insects whom 

 ill-chance causes to roll into it. 



A variety of ambush which brings the baited 

 ambush method of hunting to considerable perfec- 

 tion lies in inciting the prey to approach the hiding- 

 place instead of trusting to chance to bring it there. 

 In such circumstances man places some allurement 

 in the neighborhood that is to say, one of the foods 

 preferred by the desired victim, or at least some ob- 

 ject which recalls the form of that food, as, for ex- 

 ample, an artificial fly to obtain possession of certain 

 fishes. 



It is curious to find that fish themselves utilize this 

 system; it is the method adopted by the angler 

 and the Uranoscopus. The Uranoscopus scaber lives 

 in the Mediterranean. At the end of his lower jaw 

 there is developed a mobile and supple filament 

 which he is able to use with the greatest dexterity. 

 Concealed in the mud, without moving and only 

 allowing the end of his head to emerge, he agitates 

 and vibrates his filament. The little fishes who prowl 

 in the neighborhood, delighted with the sight of this 

 apparent worm, regarding it as a destined prey, 

 throw themselves on to it, but before they are able to 

 bite and recognize their error they have disappeared 

 in the mouth of the proprietor of the bait. 



The angler (Lophius piscatorius) has not usurped 

 his rather paradoxical name. He retires to the midst 

 of the sea-weed and algae. On his body and all 

 round his head he bears fringed appendages which, 

 by their resemblance to the leaves of marine plants, 

 aid the animal to conceal himself. The color of 



