328 PEOSE HALIETJTICS. 



Bav i/c rfj^ daXda-crriq. M]ia.-a, following up this hint, de- 

 clares, like a sophist as he is, that the sprightly conduct 

 imputed to the shad by Aristotle, is well known to fish- 

 ermen, who, taking advantage of it, fasten little bells to 

 their nets, by the tinkliUg of which above the surface, 

 all the alose within hearing are attracted to the spot, 

 and netted without diflBculty : another famous romancer 

 of much later date than ^lian, Eondolet, repeating 

 this story with slight variations, is not afraid to cor- 

 roborate the accuracy of it by relating a little Orphean 

 adventure of his own, so sprightly, that if not true, it 

 ought to be. When staying at Vichy, (probably on 

 some occasion in which he had suspended the use of its 

 sodaic waters, for champagne,) he took a walk with some 

 friends, partly ' pour promener ses ennuis,' and partly in 

 quest of alose, along the banks of the Allier, with a kit 

 in. his hand ready for a serenade. The air was still, the 

 moon and stars blinked propitiously over-head, and 

 when the party had come to a favourable spot for the 

 operation, a retiary apparatus was carefully drawn across 

 the stream by his companions, whilst the violinist put 

 the instrument to his chin, and struck up a lively waltz. 

 A wonderful effect ensued. Scarcely had he drawn his 

 bow (a very long one, we presume) across its bridge of 

 sighs, when the sleeping surface of the waters began to 

 move ; alose backs appeared rippUng the silvery expanse, 

 and after a few strokes a large party of fish might be 

 seen, all rising rhythmically on their tails, and leaping out 

 of the river together. The ball was kept up with spirit 

 so long as there were any fish within hearing to dance 

 to the kit. 



Long as he scraped the fascinatmg string, 

 Eapt into air the silvery alose spring ; 

 And jovial friends, with net to break their fall, 

 Join'd in the dance, and hail'd the heavy haiil. 



A curious and better ascertained trait of these fish is 



