66 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



upon her, and then catches and devours her : and 

 for this reason some have called this fish the sea- 

 angler. 



And there is a fish called a hermit, that at a 

 certain age gets into a dead fish's shell, and like a 

 hermit dwells there alone, studying the wind and 

 weather, and so turns her shell that she makes it 

 defend her from the injuries that they would bring 

 upon her. 



There is also a fish, called by .^Elian in his ninth 

 book " Of Living Creatures," c. 16, the Adonis, or 

 darling of the sea ; so called because it is a loving 

 and innocent fish, a fish that hurts nothing that 

 hath life, and is at peace with all the numerous in- 

 habitants of that vast watery element ; and truly I 

 think most anglers are so disposed to most of 

 mankind. 



And there are, also, lustful and chaste fishes, of 

 which I shall give you examples. 



And first, what Du Bartas says of a fish called 

 the sargus, which because none can express it 

 better than he does, I shall give you in his own 

 words ; supposing it shall not have the less credit 

 for being verse, for he hath gathered this and other 

 observations out of authors that have been great 

 and industrious searchers into the secrets of nature. 



" The adult'rous sargus doth not only change 

 Wives every day, in the deep streams, but, strange ! 

 As if the honey of sea-love delight 

 Could not suffice his ranging appetite, 

 Goes courting she-goats on the grassy shore, 

 Horning their husbands that had horns before." 



