!M Par!, second. 



fins for flying through the air. The Flying Gurnards live in shoals 

 at the bottom of the sea. Their flesh is tough and tasteless. They 

 grunt like Trigla when caught. They are only occasionally seen in the 

 Aquarium. 



Like the gurnards the Red Mullet , MullllS (Fig. 70) , lives in 

 flocks on the muddy beds of the sea, feeling about for food with the 

 two long barbules of its lower jaw. In the Aquarium the play of these 

 tactile organs can be well studied. Sometimes they are moved about 

 slowly, and with great deliberation, in the mud, sometimes they vibrate 

 rapidly or are laid back into a furrow of the lower jaw. The Roman 

 gourmands prized this fish very greatly and, when it was the fashion, 

 they paid incredible sums for large specimens. These fish were brought to 

 the guests in glass bowls living, and, so as to enjoy the wonderful play 

 of colours which they show, were allowed to die slowly in the hands of 

 the women. Nowadays the Mullet under the name of Triglia in all Ita- 

 lian markets it a much sought but not very expensive fish. 



The Eels, too, are inhabitants of the rocky beds. The Conger Eel, 

 Conger 'Fig. 59), and tge Roman Eel, Muraena (Fig. 67), will be found 

 in tank Nr. 11 where they generally hide themselves in the pots and vases 

 and only let their heads be seen. In the sea they hide in the same way 

 among the rocks. The Conger Eel is a very voracious fish which some- 

 times reaches the enormous length of 6 feet ; and even in captivity , 

 thanks to its tremendous appetite, attains very considerable dimensions. 

 He will go so far as devour the young of his own species. It is not 

 very much prized in the market, but forms a cheap food for the poorer 

 classes. 



The Mursena differs from the Conger in the absence of pectoral fins 

 and in the beautiful colouring of its skin. It will , however , share its 

 abode , and often two or three will be found crowded in a very small 

 space. Their snake-like motion when swimming , their brilliant colour, 

 the tall fin-like crest, and the curious head with its fixed eyes and con- 

 stantly gaping mouth give them a very remarkable appearance. The 

 Romans , as is well known , took endless trouble to be well supplied 

 with this fish and went so far as to close off small bays of the sea for 

 breeding them. According to Pliny , a certain Hirius is said to have 

 placed before his friends 6000 Mursense on the occasion of Caesar's 

 triumphal procession. Crassus was the owner of a large Mtiraena which 

 he decked out with gold ornaments and cared for in every conceivable 

 way , burying it after its death and weeping over its grave. Vedius 

 Pollio is said to have drowned several of his slaves as a punishment for 

 some fault in his Mursenee ponds , as he had heard that , when fed on 

 human flesh , the Mursense were the most delicate. Even to-day the 

 Muraena is greatly prized, and the classic bay of Pozzuoli is one of its 

 most famous marts. They are caught in creels or pots, called nasse , 

 or with the line , on which they sometimes struggle with great vehe- 

 mence and are not easily overpowered, as they are very vicious and too 

 smooth and slimy to be firmly held. The fishermen rightly consider their 

 bite poisonous, for some of their sharp teeth are connected with a poison- 

 gland. Recently it has been proved that their blood acts as a violent 



