176 PEOSE HALIEUTICS. 



the Latin and Italian names, ' dentex ' and ' deatice/ is 

 clear and free from any ambiguity. No fish; if we except 

 sardines, anchovies, cefali, and trigle, is of more frequent 

 occurrence at southern tables d'hote and osterie cu- 

 cinanti than this. At every sea-side ' Albergo Reale ' 

 along the Campanian coast, dentici occur : and generally 

 three or four individuals placed side by side grin from 

 the opposite ends of a long service-dish, displaying such 

 whiteness, regularity, and perfection of teeth as always 

 to rival, and sometimes to surpass, that oral iapparatus in 

 the prettiest signorina at table. Beyond the mere de- 

 tails necessary for the identification of this species, there 

 is nothiag likely to interest the general reader, unless 

 it be a lively conte of that great fabulist iElian. He 

 relates that these dentici are of a very congregational 

 turn, and indeed so unhappily social in their instincts 

 that no danger ever intimidates or can separate them ; 

 the consequence of which is, that while they enjoy the 

 pleasures and advantages, -they necessarily also run all 

 the risks, of confederate interests. Nature prompts the 

 shoal to divide into two companies, each keeping and 

 swimming entirely to itself; but so methodically and in 

 such close union, that whatever evolution is executed by 

 the seniors is immediately adopted by the juniors in the 

 rear : thus whenever an exploratory bait thrown from a 

 boat, chances to hght over a moving horde of synodons, 

 all instantly fall into rank, and eyeing the lure in mo- 

 tionless tranquiUity, show plainly that the angler may 

 spare himself further pains, as the shoal does not intend 

 to bite. This discreet forbearance is well timed, and 

 often saves the corps ; but should it unfortunately hap- 

 pen, whilst all are thus inertly gazing, that some hungry 

 dentex straggling from another band is caught whilst 

 passing athwart the column, their doom is fixed, for 

 the fishermen, aware of these gregarious tendencies, 

 quickly let down the net, and the" infatuated tribe, still 



