261 



Of Sea Baits. 



These are extremely various j for those fishes which are 

 found far at sea will take any thing that is eatable : thus, 

 the shark, the allacore, the boneta, and many others, 

 take salt beef, pork, &c. nay, I have even seen them 

 bite at a piece of potatoe. 



But, generally speaking, such fishes as frequent our 

 coasts, subsist on shell-Jlshes j viz. muscles, crabs, 

 shrimps, oysters, &c. all of which prove very alluring ; 

 as are also every kind of bait used for river fish ; espe- 

 cially lols and greaves. 



Few sea- fishes will refuse a bit of one of their own 

 species ; but the flesh of the salmon and of the alia core 

 (which is not unlike bad beef), seem to be preferred by 

 the greater number. 



There is a peculiar kind of sea-fish, if it may be so 

 called, which grows on the rocks, in many places on our 

 southern coast ; it is extremely common in many parts of 

 Europe, and indeed, of the whole world, but abounds 

 chiefly on the rocks surrounding islands, especially in 

 warm latitudes : it is, of all the baits I am acquainted 

 with, the very best. I never knew a fish to refuse it $ 

 but have, on the contrary, seen all kinds competiting to 

 get at my hook. 



This bait is called the animal-flower, the actinia sociata 

 of naturalists j and is thus described. 



" The actinia sociata is a tender, fleshy substance, 

 which consists of many tubular bodies, gently swelling 

 towards the upper part, and terminating like a ball, or 

 very small onion ; its only orifice is in the centre of the 



upper- 



