Fishes. 95 



for some fault, in his Muraena ponds, as he had heard that, when fed 

 on human flesh, the Mursenae were the most delicate. Even to-day the 

 Muraena is greatly prized, and the classic bay of Pozzuoli is one of its 

 most famous marts. They are caught in creels or pots, called t; Nasse r , 

 or with the line, on which they sometimes struggle with great vehe- 

 mence and are not easily overpowered, as they are very vicious and too 

 smooth and slimy to be firmly held. The fishermen consider their bite 

 poisonous; but it is probably only the shape of their sharp bent teeth 

 which causes the wounds to heal so slowly. In the Aquarium they can 

 be kept for years. Recently it has been proved that their blood acts as 

 a violent poison as does that of the Common Eel] when injected into 

 the blood of a mammal. 



A quite unique appearance amongst fishes is afforded by the Sea- 

 horse and its allies, which are collectively classified as Lophobranchii 

 or ^tuft-gilled*' fishes, on account of the form of their gills. Every one 

 will know the Sea-horse. Hippocampus (Fig. 130 , which is sold dried, 

 as its hard skin preserves the shape of the animal. The life and habits 

 of these fish, so common in the Bay of Naples, are very attractive. 

 Everything about them seems as different from other fish, as is their 

 shape, which reminds one of a gracefully carved chess figure. They seem 

 to do best where plants or worm-tubes give them plenty of opportunity 

 of fastening themselves with their finless tail. When swimming in their 

 graceful manner, their dorsal fin is in constant wave-like motion. They 

 float up and down, bend themselves about, chase each other, or swim in 

 couples clasping each other with their tails, or in other laughable atti- 

 tudes. This playfulness is chiefly exhibited in autumn, which is their 

 breeding season', and loving couples may be seen swimming or resting 

 together and billing each other like a pair of turtle-doves. The eggs as 

 soon as laid are received by the male animal, which carries them about 

 in a pouch on its ventral surface until the young are fully developed. 

 As his family become more and more lively within the pouch, they cause 

 so much irritation that the father considers it time to get rid of them; 

 this he does by successive abrupt bendings of that part of the body 

 which bears the pouch. At each bend the pouch opens and a number 

 of small beings are expelled, separating immediately and swimming about 

 very actively; their size is about a sixth to a quarter of an inch. 

 Economically the Sea-horse is of no value whatever. It seems to have 

 no enemies in the sea; in the Aquarium, at least, where it has been 

 kept with all sorts of animals, it is never touched. 



To the Lophobranchii belongs also the Pipe-fish or Xeedle-fish. 

 Syngnathus (Fig. 103). They live in the beds of Posidonia and resem- 

 ble most accurately, both in shape and colouring, the dying leaves of 

 the latter. The male of this animal also takes care of the eggs till they 

 are hatched. 



The freely swimming fish to which we shall now turn contain 

 most of the well known sea fish. They pass most of their life floating 

 or swimming, and thus prove that they have a complete mastery over 



