COD, HADDOCKS, WHITING, BREAM, ETC 457 



ject waving filaments which, if naturalists err not, play an im- 

 portant part in providing it with food. Needless to say, a fish 

 of this build is unable to give chase to any other fish that swims 

 in the sea. As it must eat to live, it has a way of making for 

 itself a depression in the sandy or muddy bottom by vigorous 

 movements of its two powerful pectoral fins. There it rests as 

 if dead, those tendrils from the top of its head, which are really 

 elongated separated spines of the dorsal fin, playing backwards 

 and forwards loosely with each movement of the water, and 

 apparently dead and harmless. Various parts of the rugged and 

 curiously marked body closely resemble common objects not 

 exactly of the seashore, but of the marine pavement, and assist 

 in the deception. On the end of each filament, which it waves 

 with diligence on the approach of its prey, is a piece of fatally 

 attractive shining skin. Sooner or later, little fish swim up to 

 inspect the attractive bait, then wide opes the gaping mouth 

 and the unfortunate ones disappear into that great maw. 



I imagine, however, that the Angler whom I will rather 

 call Monkfish to avoid confusion does not get a very satisfying 

 meal by the both natural and artful means described. Accord- 

 ing to Couch, these fish sometimes come near to the surface. 

 One -laid hold of a hooked codfish which was being drawn up, 

 and only released it on being struck by the fisherman. Some- 

 times they will endeavour to swallow cormorants and gulls, 

 and one graceful sea bird succeeded in choking a monkfish 

 three feet in length. Another fish absorbed a widgeon, but 

 the bird was actually rescued alive. It would seem indeed, 

 from the stories fishermen tell of these strange creatures, that 

 monkfish are not particular. For instance, one swallowed the 

 corks of a crab-pot line, which buoyed it up and led to its being 

 captured. Another monkfish seized hold of the head of a mop 

 which was being stirred about in the sea by some fishermen 

 near Queensferry, and, getting its teeth entangled in the wool, 



3 N 



