468 



THE BARBEL DEVIL FISH. 



together with other fish, it generally devours some of its felloe 

 prisoners a useless act, for the fishermen mostly open its stomach, 

 and recapture the flounders and other fish found in its interior. 



THE BARBEL. 



The Barbel is found in most of the European rivers. Its flesh is 



course and unsavory, but it 

 is eagerly sought after by 

 anglers, as the spirit and 

 vigor displayed by it when 

 hooked afford fine sport. It 

 is peculiarly apt at breaking 

 the line, a feat sometimes 

 accomplished by a violent 

 blow of the tail, and some- 

 times by contriving to twist 

 the line round a root or post, and giving a sudden jerk. 



It feeds principally on larvae and molluscs, inhabiting the banks, and 

 obtains them by rooting in the sand with its snout. The Barbels, or 

 beards, hanging from the upper jaw doubtless assist in these investiga- 

 tions. It frequently grows to a very great size, weighing from fifteen 

 to- eighteen pounds, and measuring upwards of three feet in length. 

 Many are captured by nets during the summer, at which season they 

 fi equent the weedy parts of the river in shoals ; but in winter they 

 ivtire to the shelter afforded by banks and old woodwork. Several 

 gx>d swimmers have been known to dive after the Barbel, as they lay 

 pressed against the banks, and to bring up one each time, not unfre- 

 q uently appearing with two, one in each hand. 



THE DEVIL FISH. 



The Sea Devil, or Fishing Frog, 

 is an inhabitant of the British 

 Seas. It grows to a large size, 

 some being between four and five 

 feet long. The fishermen on that 

 coast have a great regard for this 

 fish, from a supposition that it is a 

 great enemy to the Dog-fish; and 

 whenever they take it with their 

 lines, set it at liberty. It is a fish 

 of very great deformity; the head 

 is much bigger than the whole 

 body ; is round at the circumfer- 

 ence, and flat above, the mouth 

 of a prodigious wideness. 



