Marvels of the Universe 



93 



mouth. It was conjectured that he had been stranded by a wave and had been unable to drag his 

 soft but heavy body down to the water. The fox had come along in quest of crabs and had inad- 

 vertentlv touched against the trigger of the spring-trap, which had snapped to and put an end to 

 his career. He has been found choked through attempting to swallow the cork float by which the 

 position of a chain of crab-pots was marked ; and others have been caught whose stomachs con- 

 tained a sea-gull, a northern diver, or other marine diving bird. These instances, which might be 

 extended, tend to show that the Angler's jaws act almost mechanically, and that little brain-power 

 is used up in the discrimination of what they seize. The extent of these jaws, as shown in the 

 photograph below, rather indicates that quantit}- is of more importance than quality. 



The female Angler lays about a million and a half of eggs, and the number indicates that in early 

 life the Anglers fall a prey to many other fishes, for which the rapacity of the elders can only be 

 regarded as a reprisal — or vice versa. The young Angler passes through larval stages in which it 

 is active and much more of a swimmer, its form being more upright and consequently more fish-like 

 than it becomes in later life ; the illustration of the last of these stages, given on page 91, shows 

 the true nature of the "fishing-rod" — there it is clearly only one of the spines of the back-fin. In 

 spite of the numerous eggs, the young Anglers appear to be scarce. The eggs adhere together in 

 a vast glutinous sheet or ribbon, much after the fashion of the spawn masses of the frog, and float 

 at the surface of the sea. 



Cookery books may be searched in vain for any mention of the Angler as a food fish. The fish 

 is too hideous in appearance to allow of its admission to the kitchen under its proper designation ; 

 but it is said that at certain fishing ports the body is separated from the head and sold under the 

 name of " croan " and " dory." The latter is clearl}' a false pretence, for dory is the name of a. 

 distinct fish of quite other shape and habit. 



Pfioto hy] 



A FULL VIEW OF THE ANGLER'S TRAP. 



[E. Step, F.L.& 



The Angler is not adapted for swimming, and lies almost concealed by its colour harmonizing with the sea-weeds. With its well 

 armed jaws open and its bait dangling above them, it waits patiently for any passing fish to come within range. 



