84 HOMER—METHODS OF FISHING 
then, would last on in use, anglers being highly conservative, 
and I shall look out for it.”’ 
Maspero,! however, states, ‘‘ Objects in bone and horn 
are still among the rarities of our museums: horn is perishable 
and is eagerly devoured by certain insects, which rapidly 
destroy it,’ with which statement may be compared Od., XXI. 
395, ““ lest the worms might have eaten the horns’”’ (of the bow 
of Odysseus). 
Finally the explanation first suggested by Mr. C. E. Haskins 2 
and adopted by Dr. Leaf, that xépa¢ was an artificial batt of 
horn, appears to me as an angler and as having seen in the 
Pacific, but not used, “‘ bait fish-hooks made of shell all in one 
piece, of a simple hooked form without any barb,” 3 to be 
perhaps the most likely solution of our problem. 
According to Mr. Haskins, xépac means an artificial bait of 
horn, probably shaped like a small fish, and hollow at all events 
at the upper end, into which a pwodtPBdaiva (lead) was inserted 
to sink it. It had hooks of xaAxéc¢ fastened to it and was used 
by being thrown out, allowed to sink, and then rapidly drawn 
through the water to attract the fish by its glitter and motion. 
The ei8ara may either be the same as the «épac mentioned 
in the next line, or more probably ground bait thrown in to 
attract fish to the spot, while the use of the present participle, 
kara . . . BadAAwv, seems to imply constant action, 7.e. the 
fisherman throwing in at intervals a handful of ground bait. 
While I have not, like Mr. Haskins, “ caught many trout 
with artificial baits made of horn,” I can vouch that in England 
-horn minnows still exist and that horn spoons are even now 
used for pike. 
We find in Homer no special variety of fishes, except eels 
and dolphins. Eels are not ranked in a strict sense as fish: 
the words are “ both eels and fishes’”’ (J/., XXI. 203, 353). 
Sea calves and seals also find a place. Other fish occur in the 
picture of Scylla (Od., XII. 95) : ‘‘and there she fishes (ix@udq) 
swooping round the rock, for dolphins or sea-dogs, or whatso 
1 Maspero, Egyptian Archeology, p. 270. 
2 “On Homeric Fishing Tackle,” Jour. of Philology, XIX., 1891. 
8’ Described by Mr. Moseley, Notes by a Naturalist on the Challenger, p. 467. 
