280 Italy. 



fisheries, and those few will be quoted further on. I may here add that the most esteemed 

 game-fish, as the Americans style them, are furnished by the following genera : Labi-ax, Ser- 

 ranus, Dentex, Mullus, Sargus, Pagrus, Chrysophrys, Scorpsena, Trigla, Sphyraena, Ruvettus, 

 Trachinus, Umbrina, Scieena, Lepidopus, Scomber, Pelamys, Orcynus, Brama, Coryphsena, Lichia, 

 Seriola, Xiphias, Merluccius, Rhombus, Solea, Engraulis, Clupea, Conger, Murxna, Acanthias, 

 Mustelus, Raja. Yery abundant, but sold as cheap food for the poorer classes, are species of the 

 following genera ; 3Ixna, Smaris, Box, Pagellus, Trachurus, Gobius, Lophius, Blennius, Atherina, 

 Miigil, Labrus, Crenilabrus, Pleuronectes, Arnoglossus, Belone, Rhina, Torpedo. In concluding 

 I may remark that there is a notable difference between the fish-fauna of the Mediterranean 

 and that of the Adriatic, the latter has a much more northern character : flatfish abound and 

 attain a greater size, and some genera and species common in that sea, as sturgeon (Aci- 

 penser), Gadus euxinus and Pleuronectes italicus, are unknown or very rare in the Mediter- 

 ranean, d. Crustacea. Most of the numerous species inhabiting our seas are used as food, 

 even the smaller ones ; but setting aside the Mediterranean lobster (Palinurus), of which I 

 shall speak hereafter, I need only mention those genera which are more often met with in large 

 quantities at our fish-markets, thus: Maia, Cancer, Calappa, Eriphia, Eomarus, Scyllarus, 

 Palxmon, Penseus, Nika, Ncephrops, especially in the Adriatic, and Squilla. e. Mollusca. Most 

 species of Cephalopods are commonly used as food and sold at the markets along both coasts, but 

 while the tougher species of Octopus, Eledone, and Sepia are classed as coarser sorts and sold 

 cheap, the more tender Sepiola and Loligo fetch higher prices and are much esteemed. A large 

 number of shell-fish are used as food in Italy, and nowhere so well as at Naples, along S. 

 Lucia, may the enquirer satisfy his curiosity on this point; besides the common oyster, of which 

 anon, the tables of the " Canolicchiaro " show the following genera, often represented by more 

 than one species : Solen (Canolicchi), Solecurtus (Lattari), Donax (Tonninole), Venus, Cytherea 

 and Tapes (Vongole), Cardium (Cocciole), Pecten (Canestrelli), Pinna (Madrepole) ; besides 

 Mactra, Mytilus, Modiola, Area, Spondylus, Lithodomus, and other Lamellibranchs. Univalves 

 are also richly represented by species of the genera : Patella, Haliotis, Natica, Nassa, Murex, 

 To/a, Dolium, &c., &c. /. Echinoderms. This class also furnishes food along the sea-board of 

 Italy, and in the markets near rocky coasts may often be seen baskets of sea-urchins (Echini), 

 of which the following species are commonly eaten : Ecliinus melo, E. lividus, E. brevispinosus, 

 and E. saxatilis. g. Coslenterata. Two species of sea-anemone are used as food, and commonly 

 known under the name of " Ogliole ;" they are Actinia viridis and A. equina. Other members 

 of this division are the object of special fisheries, but not for the table ; they are precious coral 

 and sponges, and will be mentioned by and by. B. Special. 1. Thunny Fishery. This is our 

 most important special sea-fishery, and although the common thunny (Orcynus thynnus) is 

 the principal item of this industry, not a few allied species are caught by the same means 

 and treated in the same manner. I may mention the following : Orcynus Irachypterus, 0. 

 germo, Thynnus thunnina, and Auxis Rochei, all sea fishes, which periodically and succes- 

 sively visit in large numbers different parts of our coasts : thus a precise knowledge of the 

 direction and epoch of such migrations was necessary for establishing the localities and seasons 

 where such fisheries could advantageously be undertaken. The principal thunny-fisheries on 

 the Italian coasts (Tonnare and Tonnarelle) are: S. Margherita (Liguria), Marciana and 

 Enfola (Elba), Porto S. Stefano (Tuscany), Bivona and Pizzo (Calabria), Portoscuso, Porto- 

 paglia, Isola Piana, Calavignara, Flumentorgiu, Alghero, Saline, and Trabucato (Sardinia) 

 Olivieri, S. Giorgio, Vaccaro Pepe, Marsamemi, Capo Passaro, Favignana and Formica (Sicily). 

 In the Adriatic thunnies are caught, but I know of no regular Tonnara except that of Pre- 

 lucca near Fiume. The methods used in catching thunnies do not differ much, but the 

 Tonnare are of various size and extension; they consist of a series of large chambers closed in 

 by strong netting, the outer one opens widely in the direction from which the migrating fish 

 are to come and so intercepts them, the inner or last chamber is graphically called camera di 

 morteit can be shut off from the rest and drawn up, and here the killing or mattanza takes 

 place, a most exciting but not pleasant scene. Curious traditions regulate the doings and the 

 special task of each man employed in the Tonnare, and these differ slightly in Sardinia and 

 Sicily ; in the Tonnare of the former island about 1000 men are employed, in those of the 

 latter about 1400 ; they give together a yearly product valued some ten years ago at between 

 three and four millions of lire (francs) ; the entire produce of the thunny fishery on the Italian 



