FAMILY "WITH HAED CHEEKS." 75 



blinded, whilst the body remains exposed, it falls an easy 

 prey to the prowess of the village urchins, who, in Switzer- 

 land, spear it with a small javelin as it lies perdu. When 

 disturbed it darts away in a puff of mud with considerable 

 celerity. 



Whether the fish is ever captured in this country for 

 edible purposes, I am not aware : M. Eisso says that it is 

 eaten in Italy ; Matthiolus, an eminent physician of the 

 sixteenth century, commends it highly for its " taste and 

 nourishment ;" and Wilson, the naturalist, ascertained that 

 its flesh when boiled becomes red, like that of the salmon. 

 In Russia the Bullhead is used by some as a charm against 

 fever, while others suspend it horizontally, carefully balanced 

 by a single thread ; and thus poised, but permitted at the 

 same time freedom of motion, they believe that it possesses 

 the property of acting as a weathercock, and of indicating, 

 by the direction of the head, the point of the compass from 

 which the wind blows. 



Yarrell gives an ingenious explanation of the term 

 " Miller's Thumb " bestowed upon this fish. He considers 



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