166 FISHES AND FISHING. 



(xulen was born a.d. 131, and died 201, consequently 

 flourished at Rome during the reign of the Emperor 

 Severus, who was born a.d. 146, succeeded to tbe 

 throne A.p. 192, and died a.d. 211. Oppian (men- 

 tioned in the introduction) was born a.d. 183, and 

 died a.d. 213 ; probably recited his Halieuticks, when 

 he was about twenty-five, before the Emperor and his 

 son Caracalla, and he mentioned the cramp-fish, in 

 Book i. verse 151, as causing "numming pains." 

 In Book ii. verses 109 to 152, in giving an account of 

 the arts of this fish to obtain its prey, says, 



" One touch of hers dams up the vital flood, 

 Contracts the nerves, and clots the stagnate blood." 



And in Book iii., verses 201 to 212, describes the 

 effects on the angler who happens to hook this fish, 

 even through the communication of the line and rod 

 only, '' as poisonous," as "binding up the spirits," 

 as ''stiffening every joint," and "congealing the 

 blood."!* It certainly appears very extraordinary, 

 that Galen, who wrote so extensively, and had only 

 recently died, {i e, about seven years) should have 

 had a ^' remedial acjenf^ which he patronised, stigma- 

 tized before the emperor, and with his royal appro- 

 bation. 



Sir J. Richardson may very probably be correct as 

 *Seep. 159. 



