2^6 THE TUNNY. 



fixed upon for that purpofe, r.ear fonne promontory % 

 where a man was placed to give notice of the motions of 

 the fifh, and warn the fifhermen below. It is from one of 

 thefe precipices, that the lover in Theocritus threatens to 

 leap, with a view of foftening the rigour of his miftrefs's 

 cruelty f , The manner of taking the tunny in nets, as 

 it is at prefent praclifed, is perhaps fimilar to that of the 

 ancients; many of the fifhing ftations are exa^lly the 

 fame. The trade is ftill carried on to a great extent: 

 when taken, the fifties arc cur, into pieces and faked up in 

 barrels, in which Hate they are exported to all the neigh- 

 bouring countries. The abdomen is reckoned by far the 

 mofl: delicate part of the fifti : it is cut feparately, and 

 fold to the nobility and wealthy citizens of Rome, under 

 the name ot taremtello|. 



The tuimy frequents the Engufh coaRs, but not in the 

 fame numerous flioals that are feen in the Mediterrw 

 7iean\. It is alfo pretty common in the lochs on the 

 weftcrn coafts of Scotland^ where it comes in purfuit of 

 herring, and often during night ijrikes into the nets, to 

 the great damage of their owners. In the morning, when 

 the nets are drawn by the filhers, the tunny watches near 

 them, for any fifh that may chance to drop out. The 

 fifhermen avail themfeh^es of this avidity for prey in the 

 tunny, and baiting a hook with a herring, they feldom 

 fail to take him. 



The flelh of the tunny, when recently taken and cut 

 up, has the appearance of raw beef; but after boiling, it 

 turns pale and taftes like falmon. They are about eight 



feet 



t Thefe were termed Gu^njxsarSa. f ^'^"^^ Idyllia. 



I Vide Salvian. apud Will, § Britifh Zool. 



