SCOMBERID^. 323 



strike and secure the fish, even though at some distance. 

 This Siren song (the only lure ever employed on these 

 occasions) is of such efficacy, say the sailors, that the 

 spada cannot retreat whilst it continues ; but should the 

 spell-boimd victim, before he is struck with the harpoon, 

 hear a word of Italian, that instant the spell is broken, 

 the charm dissolved, and down he plunges into the 

 ' vasty deep,' out of which no further callings or incan- 

 tations will again evoke him.' 



Pilot Fish. 



nd/XTTtXe vavTrja-iv 'rrefiTTOiv irXoov evTrXoov l^6vs 

 irofineva-as npiji.vaBev ijxav aSelav eraipav. 



The naucrates ductor, and pompilus of the ancients, 

 rarely exceeds a foot in length; it is placed by Phny 

 among the thunnies, and Athenseus further describes it 

 as striped (tto/kiXo?), and Hke a pelamys; points of re- 

 semblance which, connected with its singular habit of 

 following ships, completely identify- this fish with the 

 modern ' pilot.' The practice of these sea vetturini is to 

 attach themselves to some outward-bound ship, and to 

 follow pertinaciously in her wake, even on the longest 

 voyages, and for months together, till she arrives at the 

 destined port, when they hold themselves in instant 

 readiness for a new engagement. On such occasions, 

 the little pilots, not liking, as it would seem, to en- 

 counteii the dangers of the deep alone, have usually per- 

 suaded some giant fish — formerly it was the whale, and 

 nowadays it is the shark — to accompany them : and 

 what valuable services are performed by these pigmy 

 Palinuri to their unwieldy associates during the voyage,* 

 are described con amove by Oppian, and translated, with 

 becoming spirit, by Jones. 



* * * * 



Bold in the front the little pilot glides, 

 Averts each, danger, every motion guides ; 



