THE THUNNT. 433 



They repair to the warm seas of Greece to spawn, steering their 

 course thitner along the European shores; but as they return they 

 approach the African coast: the young fry is placed in the van of the 

 squadron as they travel. They come back from the east in May, ami 

 about that time, they abound on the coasts of Sicily <md Calabria 

 hi autumn they steer northward, and frequent the neighborhood of 

 Amalphi and Naples. They are not uncommon on the western const.* 

 of Scotland, where they come in pursuit of the Herrings, and oftm, 

 during the night, strike into the nets, and do considerable d-image. 

 When the fishermen draw these up in the morning, the Thunny 

 rises at the same time 

 towards the surface, 

 ready to catch the fish 

 that drop out. On the 

 Thunny being ob- 

 serve d, a line is 

 thrown into the water, 

 having a strong hook 

 baited with a Herring, , THDNNt 



which it seldom fails 



to seize. As soon as the fish finds itself ensnared, it seems to lose all 

 its active powers, and after very little resistance, submits to its fate. 



The quantity of these iish that is annually consumed in the two 

 Sicilies, almost exceeds the bounds of calculation. When caught in 

 May they are full of spawn, and are then esteemed unwholesome, JM 

 being apt to occasion headaches and vapors; to prevent these bad 

 eilects, the natives fry them in oil, and afterwards salt them. The 

 nieces when fresh, appear exactly like raw beef; but when boiled 

 they turn pale, and have somewhat the flavor of Salmon. The most 

 delicate parts are those about the muzzle. Those fish which the 

 inhabitants are not able to use immediately, are cut into slices, salted, 

 and preserved in large tubs, either for sale or winter provisions. 



The Thunny was a fish so well known to the ancients, as to form 

 a principal article of their commerce. 15y the Romans it was held in 

 great estimation. 



OF THE SURMULLETS IX GENERAL. 



BY the ancient Greeks and Romams, Surmullets were held in the 

 highest esteem for the table. Pliny was acquainted with two species; 

 and the principal distinction of habit that he has mentioned is, that one 

 of them subsists on living animals, and the other on marine plants. 

 This distinction, however, is by no means correct, since not only the 

 mouth, but also the digestive organs, are precisely the same in each ; 

 consequently their food is necessarily the same also. 



There are several species. They feed on other fish, on testaceous 

 animals, Crabs and putrid bodies which they find floating in the ocean. 

 None of them are known to inhabit fresh waters. 



