1052 



THE NATURE BOOK 



over the water, with a fisherman at either 

 end. If the water is deep, a boat at each 

 end of the hne answers the same purpose. 

 Tlie frightened Mullet steadily refuse to 

 pass under the shadow of the mats and, 

 dashing wildly to and fro, are gradually 

 brought to the shallows. Then, just as 

 they are nearing the dry land, they make 

 a desperate attempt to jump over the 

 obstacle and land in hundreds on the 

 mats, from which they are easily dis- 

 covered. Mullet are also, like cows, fond 

 of rubbing their sides against posts, and 

 of this weakness, too, advantage is taken 

 by the fisherman wading at night in the 

 shallows where these fish are commonly 

 found, kicking up the sand so as to thicken 

 the water, and then digging his heels deep 

 into the ground, so as to make a hole 

 rather wider than his leg. Presently he 

 feels a Mullet rubbing against his ankle, 

 and he must then stoop very quietly, get 

 his hands round the fish and, with a 

 sudden grip, lift it out of the water. Thus 

 do the fishermen of the East (who know- 



some things unsuspected in the more 

 civilised West) manage to catch this most 

 suspicious of fishes ! 



The Gurnard — there are many different 

 kinds, but one will do for illustration — 

 is a striking fish, brilliant red, and with 

 an enormous head. It passes most of its 

 life at the bottom of the sea, on the sand, 

 but now and then I have caught one 

 quite near the surface of the water. The 

 lateral line is very conspicuous in the 

 Gurnard, and one of the fins has tips 

 which have been compared to toes. 

 Indeed, all the Gurnards may be said to 

 walk on the bottom of the sea, feeling 

 their way cautiously among the stones 

 and weeds, and instantly detecting the 

 presence of the worms and shrimps on 

 which they prey. They are lazy fish, 

 and generally take a hook that is allowed 

 to he quite still on the bottom. Related 

 to the Gurnards are two fishes known as 

 \\'eevers, which are dreaded by the 

 fishermen of all seas for the venom in their 

 fins. These dreadful creatures lie still 



TUKBOT. 



