124 FISHES. — TURTLES. chap. vi. 



FISHES. 



Several fishes known in the Mediterranean and on the 

 south coast of England frequent these shores, and they have 

 many more peculiar to themselves. As far as the table is 

 concerned, the John Dory (Zeus), the Gray Mullet {Mugil 

 cephalus), and the Red Mullet (a genus of the Percidce), 

 are by far the best. The rest, though very numerous, are 

 mostly insipid. The Tunny (Thynnus) forms one of the 

 principal articles of food of the poor. It is caught in 

 amazing quantities on the coast, and attains a great size, 

 being sometimes nine or ten feet in length. The flesh is 

 coloured : it is sold at one penny or a halfpenny per pound, 

 and sometimes even much cheaper. 



To catch the Tunny a large hook is run through the tail or 

 back of a live mackerel, which is allowed to swim with a long 

 line. The hook is sometimes taken by sharks, of which there 

 are several species, including the hammer-headed (Zygana 

 Malleus, Val.). The Swordfish also (Xiphias gladius,~Lmn.) 

 is occasionally caught in the bay. On a quiet day you may 

 see the whole surface of the water glisten with little crea- 

 tures floating on their sides as if they were dead ; they never 

 attempt to escape, and on closer inspection prove to be the 

 Trumpet-fish, deserving their name from a prolongation of 

 the mouth into a tube like a pipe about an inch long. At the 

 fall of the tide, which rises here nine feet, lobsters, crabs, and 

 shrimps are caught in the crevices of the rocks. 



On the Dezerta Islands seals are to be found throughout 

 the year. 



TURTLES. 



The Hawk-billed Turtle (Caretta) is plentiful, and is used 



