TO CATCH FISHES. 83 



cus, a quarter of an ounce ; of cumin and boiling 

 water, each two ounces; of cheese, one ounce, 

 and of meal three ounces ; after bruising them to- 

 gether, form them into small balls. Others mix 

 the berries with old cheese, honey, and wheaten 

 meal, of which they form small balls, to be thrown 

 to fishes. Others for this purpose mix a variety 

 of other substances with these berries ; but after 

 all their pains there is no necessity for so trou- 

 blesome an apparatus, since I have known by ex- 

 perience, says Ray, that a simple ball of the pow- 

 der of these intoxicating berries, made up with 

 wheaten meal and water, is equally efficacious 

 for stupifying, and at last killing, fishes ; for that 

 fishes, as some assert, are by eating balls of this 

 kind, only rendered vertiginous and stupid for a 

 while, but soon return to their natural state, is 

 not confirmed by experience ; for my own expe- 

 rience, says Mr. Ray, quadrates with the opinion 

 of those fishes spoken of by the learned Condron- 

 rfiius who affirms that fishes are soon killed by 

 balls of this kind. But I do not know whether, 

 as they assert, they soon become putrid, and fall 

 into pieces, unless they are speedily taken out of 

 the water. If, says Condonchius, any should ob- 

 ject, that, upon taking these balls, the fishes swim 

 up and down with uncommon haste and precipi- 

 tation, by which means their intoxication, or ver- 

 tigo, is produced ; I answer that they do not 

 ramble thus in consequence of their vertigo, but 

 in consequence of the intolerable pain they feel 

 from that unfriendly substance, just as other ani- 

 mals do, especially men, when they are racked 

 with any intense pain. I readily grant that by 

 these balls fishes are rendered vertiginous, and as 

 it were intoxicated ; but at the same time, I af. 



