It) DEVIL FISHING. 



ground, had horns or feeders three feet in length, 

 curiously articulated at the ends, so as to resemble 

 the fingers of the human hand when clenched, and 

 enjoyed an amplitude of mouth sufficient to admit 

 of its receiving two aldermen abreast, had it 

 relished such a quintessence of turtle ! 



It is the habit of this fish to ply these arms 

 rapidly before its mouth while it swims, and to 

 clasp with the utmost closeness and obstinacy what- 

 ever body it has once inclosed. In. this way, the 

 boats of fishermen have often been dragged from 

 their moorings, and overset by the devil-fish having 

 laid hold of the grapnel. It was in obeying this 

 peculiarity of their nature, that a shoal of these 

 fish, as they swept by in front of my grandfather's 

 residence, would sometimes, at flood-tide, approach 

 so near to the shore as to come in contact with the 

 water fence, the firm posts of which they would 

 clasp, and struggle to uptcar, till they lashed the 

 water into a foam with their powerful wings. This 

 bold invasion of his landmarks my grandfather 

 determined to resent. He launched his eight- 

 oared barge, prepared his tackle, notified his neigh- 

 bors of his plan, and waited patiently for the next 

 appearance of his enemies. It was not many days 

 before they reappeared, to renew their sports. He 

 then manned his boat, and soon glided with muffled 



