172 PEOSE HAXIEUTICS. 



with the mullet ; nor were they less partial to the Trpo- 

 TOfj,r), or first cut of the maigre,* the glaucus, and of se- 

 veral other species ; indeed, according to ancient gastro- 

 nomic teaching, the superlative delicacy and ' capital ' of 

 tit-bits was always the head and its appurtenances; and 

 for this, the whole carcase was often purchased by epi- 

 cures, just as bibliomaniacs at an auction will sometimes 

 purchase a large body of books merely for the sake of 

 one small tome bound up in the lot. So inveterate, in- 

 deed, was this well-known predilection of the ancients 

 for ' fish heads,' that it became proverbial to designate 

 good men of business, not 'long-headed,' as now, but 

 men who would ' stick to their fish's head.' When once 

 a Greek glutton had fastened on this friandise, he 

 never left it, but would hold on with the pertinacity of a 

 bull-dog or leech. Thus, when an argumentative Greek 

 ' Old Poz' is giving his opponent due notice that he is 

 not to be convinced, nor has any intention of abandon- 

 ing the point in dispute, he tells him he wiU relinquish 

 it when ' Callimedon gives up his glaucus' head,' — that 

 is, never. 



POGONIAS. 



These vocal fish differ from the umbrinas in having 

 their jaws tagged laterally with many, in place of carrying 

 but one barbel at the symphysis. Schceff reports of them 

 that they will assemble round the keel of a vessel at an- 

 chor and serenade the crew ; and Mr. John White, lieu- 



* The high reputation of this part of the fish had descended to 

 the Eomans so late as to Eondolet's day, who acquaints us that 

 the then cetarii of the Eternal City were ia the habit of decapi- 

 tating their ' maigres,' and of sending the heads as tribute to the 

 three principal magistrates, the conservators of the city ; as the 

 laity of Montpeher send their bishop the head and shoulders of 

 all dolphins caught within his see. 



