BOOK IX.] History of Nature. 131 



themselves through the Winter in the Ground ; that is to say, 

 in Depressions which they make in the bottom of the Sea. 

 Some again are impatient of Heat ; and therefore about the 

 hot Season of the Year, for sixty Days, they lie hid : as the 

 Glaucus, 1 Aselli, 2 and Auratae. 3 Of River Fishes, the Silurus 

 at the rising of the Dog-star is blasted ; and at other Times 

 is struck insensible by Lightning. And some think the like 

 happeneth in the Sea to the Cyprinus. 4 And beyond Doubt 

 the Sea is affected by the rising of this Star ; but most of all 

 this Influence appears in the Bosphorus. For then Sea- 

 weeds and Fishes float on the Surface, and every Thing is 

 cast up from the Bottom. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Of the Mugil and other Fishes ; and that the same do not in 

 all Places please. 



THE Habit of the Mugil 5 is ridiculous ; for when afraid, 

 they will hide their Head, and then believe that they are 

 entirely concealed. These Mugils nevertheless are so libidi- 

 nous, that in the Season of Increase, in Phoanice and the 

 Province of Narbonensis (Languedoc), if they take a Male 

 out of their Ponds, and draw a long Line through the Mouth 

 and Gills, and so tie it fast, and then put him into the Sea, 

 holding the other end of the Line, if they draw him back 

 again, the Females follow him to the Shore. And again in 

 Spawning Time, the Males thus follow a Female. 



Among our Ancestors the Accipenser 6 was esteemed the 

 most noble of Fishes. He is the only Fish that hath the 

 Scales turned toward the Head ; he makes his Way against 



1 Lichia glaucus. Cuv. Wern. Club. 



2 The Haddock : Gadus ceglefinus. LINN. Morrhua JE. Cuv. 

 Wern. Club. 



3 Gilt-head : Sparus auratus. LINN. Chrysophrys aurata. Cuv. 

 Wern. Club. 



4 Naturalists agree in applying this name to a class of river or pond 

 fishes : the Bream and Carp. Wern. Club. 



5 The Grey Mullet : Mugil cephalus. Cuv. Wern. Club. 



6 The Sturgeon : Accipenser sturio. LINN. Wern. Club. 



