SCOMBRID^E. 107 



The arrow represents quickness, the remora slowness, while prudence is supposed 

 to be the medium or unknown quantity. Pliny, whose imagination was very 

 vivid, has left some curious records of what the sucking fish was believed to 

 accomplish in his days. The version is that of one of our old translators, 

 Philemon Holland. " One little fish, not above half a foot long, is able to arrest 

 and stay per force, yea, and hold as prisoners, our goodly tall and proud ships, 

 "so well armed in the bcake-head with yron pikes and brasen tines ; so offensive 

 and dangerous to bouge and pierce any enemie ship which they do encountre. 

 Certes, reported it is, that in the naval battaile before Actium, wherein Antonius 

 and Cleopatra the queene were defeited by Augustus, one of these fishes staied 

 the admirall ship wherein M. Antonius was, at what time as he made all the hast 

 and meanes he could devise with help of ores to encourage his people from ship to 

 ship, and could not prevailc, untill he was forced to abandon the said admirall 

 and go into another galley. ... Of late daies also, and within our remembrance, 

 the like happened to the roiall ship of the emperor Caius Caligula, at what time 

 as he rowed back and maide saile from Astura to Antium, when and where this 

 little fish detained his ship, and (as it fell out afterwards) presaged an unfortunate 

 event thei'eby. . . . And yet it was not long ere the cause of this wonderful 

 staie of his ship was knowne : for as soon as ever the vessel (and a galliace it 

 was, furnished with five bankes of ores to a side) was perceived alone in the 

 fleete to stand still, presentlie a number of tall fellows leapt out of their ships 

 into the sea to search what the reason might be that it stirred not ; and 

 found one of these fishes sticking fast to the very helm." He tells us how Caius 

 Caligula fumed, and was unable to comprehend how a little sucking-fish could 

 withstand the power of four hundred oars. Recent authors, who attach but 

 small credit to the accuracy of such traditions, have attributed the procrastination 

 of Mark Antony to the loadstone of Cleopatra's eyes, which perhaps, more than 

 the sucking-fish, occasioned delay ; while they have also asserted that inebriation in 

 Caligula's rowers sufficiently accounts for his fuming, and explains why the 

 vessel was unable to make way. 



Not only were these ancient authors adepts at marvellous descriptions respect- 

 ing the attributes of these fishes, but even Commerson, and some later writers 

 have drawn largely upon the credulity of their readers, asserting that along the 

 coasts of Mosambique they are employed for the purpose of capturing turtle. 

 A ring is stated to be fixed round the fish's tail, and to this a cord is made fast ; 

 thus ready for use, the Echeneis is placed in a vessel of sea- water, which having 

 been embarked in a boat, the lowers proceed on a turtle hunt. As soon as one is 

 si 'iMi sleeping on the ocean, they row gently towards it; when sufficiently near, 

 they cast the sucking-fish into the sea, which was said to attach itself to the object 

 of their search and with such tenacity that both can be drawn into the boat ! 

 Commerson likewise asserted that the sucker of one of these fishes being applied 

 to his thumb, it became perfectly numbed, and continued thus for some con- 

 siderable time. 



The sucking-fish, although capable of spasmodic active exertions, appears to 

 generally lead an inactive life, trusting to its host to convey it to the localities 

 suitable for obtaining food. It does not seem to find the vicinity of the shore or 

 the presence of brackish waters agreeable, preferring the open seas, although not 

 in Frequently observed in harbours. Some hundreds sometimes affix themselves 

 to one vessel, and when the washings of the cook's coppers are thrown overboard, 

 they shoot off in a body to pick up the particles of grease which discolour the 

 water. They also consume less savoury matters that drop from a ship, and may 

 be caught with a very small hook buried in a pellet of fat. (Richardson, Ich. 

 China and Japan, p. 204.) Van Beneden has observed that they eat small fish, 

 while they themselves occasionally form food for sailors, who are not always 

 particular as to the quality of the articles upon which they make a repast. 

 Lutken ( Vidd. Medd. 187"/, p. 242) has observed that Eclieneis lineal a attaches 

 itself especially to S.phyroena barracuda as E. remora does to GarcJiarias lamia. 



