30 PEOSE HALIEUTICS. 



as in the case of the grey mullet, the fishermen pull 

 away, and the scari follow the boat, flocking from all 

 parts. When a sufficient shoal has thus heen collected, 

 the same female, now properly prepared and leaded, is 

 dropped over a horizontal net stretched beneath the 

 boat; she descends headlong, but not alone; a bevy of 

 gallants rush after her in hot haste, head over ears in 

 love one moment, and head over ears the next in inex- 

 tricable meshes, where they stick till the boatman se- 

 cures them. 



Pliny's account of the capture of the anthia, which 

 we give in the quaiat words of Ph. Holland's transla- 

 tion (1665), deserves transcription, from the credulity it 

 displays : — 



When the time serveth there goetla forth a fisher in a small 

 boat or barge, for certaine dales together, a prettie way into the 

 sea, clad alwades in apparell of one and the same colour, at one 

 houre and to the same place still, when he casteth forth a bait 

 for the fish. But the fish antheus is so craftie and warie, that 

 whatsoever is throwne forth hee suspeoteth it evermore that it is 

 a meanes to surprise him. He feareth therefore anddistrusteth; 

 and as he feareth, so is he as warie ; until at length, after much 

 practice and often using this device of flinging meat into the same 

 place, one above the rest groweth bo hardy and bold as to bite at 

 it. The fisher takes good mark of this one fish, making sure 

 reckoning that he wiU brijag more thither, and be the meanes 

 that he shall speed his hand in the end. At length this hardie 

 capitaine meets with some other companions, and by little and 

 Httle he cometh every day better accompanied than other, imtil 

 in the end he bringeth with him infinite troupes and squadrons 

 together, so as now the eldest of them aU (as craftie as they bee) 

 being so weU used to know the fisher, tha,t they will snatch meat 

 out of his hands; then he, espying his time, putteth forth an 

 hook with a bait, and speedily with a quick and nimble hand 

 whippeth them out of the water, and giveth them one after 

 another to his companion in the ship — who ever, as they be 

 snatched up, latcheth them in a coarse twUle or covering, and 

 keepes them sure ynough from either strougling or squeaiing, 

 that they should not drive the rest away. The speciall thing 

 that helpeth this game and pretie sport is to know the capitaine 



