356 The Angler. 



drance to the observation of such actions as these, but there 

 does not appear to be any reason for doubting the accuracy 

 of this account ; and on the contrary, an examination of 

 other portions of the structure of this fish will tend to point 

 out an extension of these powers in other directions. Thus, 

 from the jaws round the border of the body to the tail there is 

 found a row of membranous or cutaneous lobes, which in most 

 instances, at their extremities, are divided into club-shaped 

 partitions. These are not merely insensible doublings of the 

 skin, but, although in a less degree, they perform the office 

 commonly assigned to the fictitious bait suspended from the 

 fishing-rod, on the top of the head. They offer themselves 

 enticingly to be nibbled by fishes which wander in that direc- 

 tion, and then is brought into exercise an organization which 

 distinguishes the structure of the pectoral and ventral fins. The 

 species of this and the neighbouring family of blennies, possess 

 the power to change their place as they lie on the ground without 

 an effort of the tail or dorsal fins ; which latter organs are the 

 instruments of motion in the generality of fishes, but which if 

 put into action by the angler would excite alarm, and so drive 

 away the prey. The pectoral fin of this fish possesses such a 

 frame-work of bones as is equivalent to the wrist-joint of a 

 higher class of animals, and the ventral fin also is fitted with 

 joints resting on a firm series of bones, to which also the pec- 

 toral is attached ; and the whole is so well supplied with nerves 

 of sensation that, with slow but sure and consciously directed 

 motion, the fish is enabled to creep in advance or retreat, or to 

 turn itself round, and so lay hold of such incautious rovers as 

 have crowded round it without a suspicion of the danger pro- 

 ceeding from the gaping but quiescent cavern of a mouth. 

 And formidable indeed is that gulf, which, as we have seen, 

 lies open to receive the prey — as hungry is the stomach which 

 is prepared to receive it. 



But sometimes stratagem will fail to supply the cravings of 

 a hungry stomach; and then, in spite of its inaptitude for 

 effort, the angler will mount into the higher regions of the sea, 

 and there, without discrimination, endeavour to glut itself with 

 any object that may attract its attention. It has been known to 

 grasp within its jaws the floating barrel which is usually fastened 

 to the head of a sean, and it has swallowed the large white- 

 washed ball of cork which formed the buoy of a crab-pot, by 

 which it became choked. When an individual was seen by a 

 fisherman to be swimming near the surface, he threw his boat's 

 iron grapnel at the fish, but not terrified with the blow the fish 

 turned and seized the object as it sunk. Again, a struggle was 

 observed at the surface, and on the approach of a boat it was 

 found to proceed from an angler in its efforts to swallow a gull 



