GREA T BRITAIN. 59 



when its prey becomes washed out of its abode ; and it is 

 during such stormy weather that it hunts along the shore, 

 even in shallow water, although at other times it selects its 

 station under some sheltering rock, from which it darts out 

 on passing prey. It is very fond of young sprats and 

 herrings, while it prefers the vicinity of wooden piers to 

 those constructed of stone, evidently owing to the greater 

 abundance of food at the former to what obtains in the 

 latter locality. The fry of sand-launces, Ammodytes, father- 

 lashers, Cottus bubalis, young whiting, and mullet have 

 been found in their stomachs. 



They have been kept with success in fresh-water vivaria 

 by Mr. Arnold in Guernsey, Mr. McAllum in a lake near 

 Plymouth, and by other persons elsewhere. Dr. McCulloch 

 asserted that their flavour was much improved by the 

 change from salt to fresh water. 



Means of capture. Beam-trawl, small seine-nets, also by 

 deep sea lines and hand lining. In Cornwall the fishermen 

 state that they are unable to take them in seine-nets 

 unless such can be dragged on to a sandy beach, for other- 

 wise, so soon as the foot-rope is raised, so surely do they 

 swim away below it. They have even been credited with 

 forming a depression in the sand by means of their tails, 

 and here they are said to ensconce themselves while the 

 net passes over them. Anglers use a long and strong rod, 

 with suitable lines, and try their luck from pier-heads or 

 projecting rocks, or else from a boat, which is slowly and 

 quietly propelled along. The flood tide is usually more 

 likely to prove successful than the ebb, while the water 

 should not be too clear. This fish takes a bait very freely 

 at times ; occasionally nothing will tempt it ; while, if 

 hooked, it shows great ingenuity in escaping, often succeed- 

 ing in severing the line. For baits the lug-worm, trolling 



