138 THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, 



earthquake groat quantities of sand and pebbles were 

 torn from tne coasts of Africa, and thrown upon 

 those of Europe. The latter were thus converted 

 into shallows and sandbanks. The tunny-fish, 

 having to extend their journeys to the coasts of 

 Tetuan and Sale, acquired more liberty. It required 

 nets extravagantly long to capture them, and, in 

 fine, tlie fishery was transferred to the Sardinian and 

 Italian coasts. 



It would be very diflScult to account for the pre- 

 ference shown by the tunny for a rocky coast. It 

 is possible, however, that the facilities it affords for 

 shelter is the chief reason. Great and imposing as 

 the tunny looks, he is so timid that he makes 

 scarcely an effort to escape from the net after a first 

 attempt has failed, and thus gives very little trouble 

 to the fishermen. 



The nets used for the tunny fishery in the Medi- 

 terranean are like enormous sacks, which in Italy are 

 called tonndre. It is at the commencement of April 

 that the fishermen begin to construct the fortress 

 into which they expect the tunny to enter ; immense 

 nets are fixed to the bottom, by means of anchors, and 

 weights so heavy that the most violent tempest will 

 not dislodge them. The tunny loves, as we have 

 said, the rocky coasts, or passages between the isles. 

 It is in such places that the fishers establish their 



