THE THUNNY. 431 



the two poles. The boat is then again pushed off towards the centre 

 of the net, in order to prevent the more vigorous fish from leaping 

 over the corks. By these means, three or four hundred fish are often 

 sought at one haul. 



Mackerel are said to be fond of human flesh. Pontoppidan informs 

 us, that a sailor, belonging to a ship lying in one of the harbors on 

 the coast of Norway, went into the water to wash himself; when he 

 was suddenly missed by his companions. In the course of a few 

 minutes, however, he was seen on the surface, with vast numbers of 

 these fish fastened on him. The people went in a boat to his assist- 

 ance; and though, when they got him up, they forced with some diffi- 

 culty the fishes from him, they found it was too late; for the poor 

 fellow, very shortly afterwards, expired. 



Their greatest weight seldom exceeds two pounds, though some 

 have been seen that weighed more than five. Their voracity has 

 scarcely any bounds ; and when they get among a shoal of Herrings, 

 they make such havoc as frequently to drive it away. They are very 

 prolific, and deposit their spawn among the rocks near the shore, about 

 the month of June. They die almost immediately after they are taken 

 out of the water, arid for a short time exhibit a phosphoric light. 



In spring their eyes are covered with a white film, that grows in 

 the winter, and is regularly cast at the beginning of summer. During 

 this time they are said to be nearly blind. 



THE THUNNY. 



On the coast of Sicily, as well as in several other parts of the 



Mediterranean, 

 there are very 

 considerable 

 Thunny fisher- 

 ies. The nets 

 are spread over 

 a large space of 

 sea. by means of 

 cables fastened 

 to anchors, and 

 they are divided 

 into several com- 

 partments. A 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 

 \han 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. 



Thunnies enter the Mediterranean about the vernal equinox, 

 travelling in 9 triangular phalanx so as to cut the waters with ita 

 point, and to present an extensive base for the tides and currents to 

 act against, and impel forwards. 



