FISHES AND PlSHmO. 123 



known fact that fresh-water fish of prey will no 

 attack a tench, so in that way they show their gra- 

 titude to the Esculapius of their race ; an example 

 which — if some of our deceased nohles had followed, 

 would have enhanced their reputation, by shewing 

 a sense of gratitude for benefits received. 



Eels, it is well known, require mud, into which 

 they retire for warmth in winter, and they wiU leave 

 any pond, the soil "oi which does not afi'ord them the 

 shelter they need, by any means, even travelling over 

 short distances of land, — but this is instinct. 



Caqj, according to Bluraenbach, have the largest 

 brain of any fresh- water fish ; and it is a well-known 

 fact, that they will force their nose into the soft 

 bottom of a pond or river, and not move though 

 the leads of a net sweep over them, and so escape. 

 They are very difficult to catch by angling; but 

 whether they purposely cut the line with the saw 

 on the front of their dorsal fin, must be a matter 

 of conjecture.* 



Oppian's Halieuticks, Book iv. verses 60 to 80, says, 

 the scaro (see "Willoughby, 304) pairs with one mate 

 only, and if either happen to be caught with a hook 



* Oppian attributes the same act to the anthies if the line 

 be allowed to become slack. Book iii., verse 455 — 462. (An- 

 thies, Anthife, Willoughby, p. 325. Plate x. figs. 3, 4, 5.) The 

 last very like a carp. 



