276 THE SUCKING FISH. 



as on the rocks, the danger of their being- 

 driven by tempests remote from their usual 

 food and rest. This fish is also destitute of an 

 air-bladder. 



The Remora was supposed, by the ancients, 

 to have the power of arresting the progress 

 of a ship under full sail ; and, by others, their 

 nourishment was supposed to be derived from 

 the body of the shark, or from any sub- 

 stance to which it adhered : all these chimeras 

 have, however, been long since dispersed. Their 

 food has been found (from the examination of 

 the contents of the stomachs of the specimens 

 captured) to be minute marine insects, &c. 



I have seen the Remora of a very large size. 

 During a visit to the island of Tongatabu, one 

 of the Friendly group, on August 1st, 1829, se- 

 veral were brought on board for sale, by -the 

 natives, which measured three feet and upwards 

 in length. They had taken them with a hook 

 and line. They were cooked, and found deli- 

 cate and well-tasted. During also our passage 

 through the straits of St. Bernardin to Manilla, 

 several, of a large size, were seen swimming i 

 about the ship, but their movements were slow 

 and heavy. 



The most usual size taken from the body of 

 a shark, is from six to twelve inches. The In- 



