FISHES. 533 



10. The Coryphcena or Razor-fish. The body wedge-like; 

 the head very bevel ; the fin covering the gills with five spines. 



1 1. The Skomber or Mackarel. The body oblong ; the line 

 running down the side zigzagged towards the tail ; the head 

 sharp and small ; the tins covering the gills with seven spines ; 

 several false fins towards the tail. * 



12. The Labrus or Wrasse. The body oval •, the head mid- 

 dling ; the lips doubled inward ; both cutting and grinding teeth ; 

 the covers of the gills scaly ; the fin covering the gills with five 

 spines ; the pectoral fins pointed. 



13. The Spanis or Sea-bream. The body oblong; the head 

 middling; the lips not inverted; the teeth cutting and grinding ; 

 the cover of the gills scaly ; the fins covering the gills with five 

 rays ; the pectoral fins pointed. 



14-. The Chatodon or Cat-fish. The body oblong ; the head 



* The Thunny. — These fish are from two to ten feet in length. The body 

 is round and thick, and tapers nearly to a point both at the head and tail. 

 The skin of the back is very thick and black, and that of the sides and belly 

 silvery, tinned with light blue and pale purple. The tail is crescent-shaped, 

 with the tips far asunder; and the spurious fins between the dorsal fin and 

 the tail (which mark the species) are from eight to eleven in number. On 

 the coasts of Sicily, as well as in several other parts of the Mediterranean, 

 there are very considerable thunny fisheries. The nets are spread over a 

 large space of sea by means of cables fa-stened to anchors, and arc divided 

 into several compartments. \ man placed upon the summit of a rock high 

 above the water, gives the signal of the fish being arrived ; for he can dis- 

 cern from that elevation what passes under the water, much better than any 

 person near the surface. As soon as notice is given that a shoal of fish has 

 penetrated as far as the inner compartment of the net, the passage is drawn 

 close, and the slaughter begins. The thunnies enter the Mediterranean 

 about the vernal equinox, travelling in a triangular phalanx, so as to cut 

 the water with its point, and to present an extensive base for the tides and 

 currents to act ;igainst, and iinp(^l forwards. They repair to the warm seas 

 of Greece to spawn, steering their course thither along the Knmpean shores ; 

 but a^ they return they approach the African coiist : the young fry is placed 

 in the van of the squadron as they travel. They come back from the cast in 

 May, and abound at that time on the coast of Sicily and Calabria. In 

 autunui they steer northward, and frequent the neighbourhood of Amalphi 

 and Naples. Thoy are not uncommon on the western coasts of Scotland, 

 where they come iu pursuit of the liiTrings, and often during the night 

 strike into the nets, and do considerable damage. When the fishermen 

 draw up these in the morning, the thunny rises at the same tinu> towanls 

 the surface, ready to catch the fith that drop out. On its being oliM-rved, a 

 line is thrown into the water, having a strong hook baited with a herring, 

 which it seldom fails to seize. As soon as the fish finds itself ensnared, it 

 lobC'j all itf active powers, and after very little rebistaucc tubinlts to its fat« 



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