2l6 The Bonito 



aimless perpendicular leapings of the fish, quite 

 different from his dash into the air after a flying-fish 

 or squid. It is easy to imagine that the irritation 

 caused by these vermin must sometimes become 

 well-nigh intolerable. And they cling so tightly that 

 I have never been able to tear one off the freshly 

 caught fish, without bringing a portion of skin with it. 



Inside the mouth, and often nestling among the 

 branchiae of the gUls, will be found one or more white 

 crustaceans, much like an exaggerated wood-louse, 

 but not so flexible in the body, being incapable of 

 rolling themselves up in a ball ! They have eight or 

 ten hooked legs, by means of which they attach them- 

 selves firmly to the mouth, or throat, or giUs of their 

 host, and thenceforward lead a placid, well-fed, and 

 uneventful existence at their host's expense, being 

 apparently quite exempt from the almost universal 

 law of eating and being eaten in turn. I do not see 

 what can ever disturb them except the death of the 

 fish. When that happens they release their hold 

 and crawl out of the mouth or gill-openings, seeking, 

 I suppose, a fresh host, able to provide for their needs, 

 having doubtless realised that no more board and 

 lodging is to be expected from their late benefactor. 

 In like manner does the tenacious clutch of the outside 

 parasite become relaxed, and he falls off when the last 

 quiver of the flesh has ceased, and the fish is dead. 



A much more unpleasant form of parasite is one 

 which burrows into the muscular tissue, sometimes in 

 such numbers as to make it impossible to eat the 

 meat, unless the eater be something of a savage, either 

 from hunger, or place of origin. It is just a fat white 

 maggot, not so well formed as those seen in fly-blown 

 meat, but a clumsy grub, which slowly eats its con- 

 tented way through the fish's muscles, leaving behind 



