358 GENERAL ZOOLOGY 



larger fishes, especially sharks and swordfishes, leaving its 

 host occasionally to procure food. A string is attached to 

 one of these sucking-fishes, which is then liberated in the 

 vicinity of turtles, where it soon attaches itself to the under 



FIG. 183. Photograph of Box-Tortoise 



surface of the shell, holding on so tenaciously that the turtle 

 can be drawn gently to the surface. The method was noticed 

 by Columbus or one of his companions, and was described in 

 1671, in Ogilby's America, as follows: " Somewhat further he 

 [Columbus] saw very strange Fishes, especially of the G-uaican, 

 not unlike an Eel, but with an extraordinary great Head, over 

 which hangs a skin like a bag. This Fish is the Natives Fisher, 

 for having a Line or handsom Cord fastned about him, so 

 soon as a Turtel, or any other of his Prey, comes above 

 Water, they give him Line ; whereupon the Gruaican, like 

 an Arrow out of a Bowe, shoots toward the other Fish, and 

 then gathering the Mouth of the Bag on his Head like a 

 Purse-net, holds them so fast that he lets not loose till hal'd 

 up out of the Water." 



A common species of tortoise in the eastern LTnited States 

 is the box-tortoise (Cistu'do, Fig. 183). These tortoises have 



