Plinies Haturall Hiftorie. 



A fiili Anthias is fo crafcie and waric^that whatfocver is chrowne forth, hce fufpcdeth it evermore, 

 that jit is a meanes to furprife him. He fcareth therforc^and diftriilteth : and as he fearech/o is he 

 as warie : until! at length, after much pra(ai(e,& often ufing this devife of flinging meat into one 

 placCjOne above the reft groweth fo hardie and bold, as to bite at it, for now by this time bee is 

 giovyne acquainted vwith the manner thercof^and fccure.The fifher takes good marke of this one 

 iifhjmaking fure reckoning that he will bring more thitherjand be the means that he fhall fpecd 

 \ his hand in theend. And that is no hard matter for him to doe, becaufe i"dr certaine daies toge- 

 thcrjthat fifh and nonebut he^darc adventure to come alone unto the bait. At length this hardie 

 captainc meets with fome other companions, and by little and little he commeth every day bet- 

 ter accompanied than otheraUntill in the end he brings with him infinite troupes and Iquadrons 

 g together/o as now the eldeft of them all(as craftie as they bee)bei«f'fo well ufcd to know the fi- 

 fherjthat they will fnatch meat out of his hands.Then heefpying his time, putteth forth an hook 

 with the bait, fomewhat beyond his fingers ends, flieth and ieizeth upon them more truly, then 

 catcheth themjand fpeedily with a c^uick and nimble hand whippeth them out of the water with- 

 in the fliuddow of the fhip, for feare leaflthe reftfliould perceive, and giveth them one after a- 

 nother to his companion withinjwho ever as they befnatcht up^latcheth them in acourfe twillie 

 or covering, and kecpes them fure ynough from either ftrugling or fqueaking, that they fhouid ' 

 not drive the reft away. The (peciali thing that helpeth this game and prctie fport^is to kn ow the 

 captaine from the reft, who brought his fellowes to this feaft, and to take heed in any hand that 

 hebenottwitcht up and caught.And therefore the fifher fpareth him, thathemay flieandgoe 

 . to fome other flocke,for to trainc them to the like banket.Thus youfee the manner of fifhing foe 

 thefe Anthias. Now it is reported moreover, that one fifher upon a time (of fpightfull mind to 

 doe his fellow a fhrewd turne)laid wait for the faid captaine fillijthe leader of the reft (for he was 

 verie well knowne from all othersj^^andfo caught him :but when theforelaid fiHier efpied him in 

 the market to be f61d,3nd knew it was he : taking himfelfe mifufed & wronged, brought his a<5ii- 

 on ofthe cafe againft the othetjand fued him for the dammagCjand in theend condemned him. 

 JS'Miam-M faith moreover,That the plaintife was awarded to have for recompence,ten pounds of 

 the defendant. The fame fifhesjif they chaunce to fee one of their fellows caught with an hooke^ 

 by report, with their fharpe finnes which they have upon their backe like fawes, cut the line in 

 twaine :for he that hangech at it,willof purpofc ftretch it out ftreighr, that it may bee cut afun- 

 dermoreeafily. But the Sargots have another tricke for that : for he that finds himfelfe taken, 

 fretteth the line in twaine^whereto the hooke hangcth^againft a hard rocke. 



Chap, lx, 



of the f'afjhcs called S tarns, 



OVer and bcfides all thefe,I fee that fome deep dearks and great Philofophers have made 

 a wonder at tlie Srarre in the fea. And verily it is no other than a very little fifh,made like a v. 

 ftarrc(as we fee it painted.) A foft flelli it hath wirhin : but without-forth an hard brawnic 

 skin.Men fay it is fo fierie hote,that whatfoever it toucheth in the fea,icburneih : and looke what 

 |3 meat it reccivethjit makes a hand with it,and digcfteth it prefently. W hat proofe there is hereof, 

 and how men fliould come to the knowledge and experience of thus much, I cannot readily fee 

 downe. I would thinkethatrathcr more memorable and worthieto bee recorded, whereof wee 

 have daily experience. 



[ Chap. lxi. 



^ Ofihc DAciyli^andthdr mnderfidl quAlitiesi 



OF the fliell fifb kind are theDaayIi,fo called ofthe likenefTe of mens nailes,which they re- 

 femble. The nature o{ this fifii is to fhine by themfelves in the dark night, when all other 

 t; light is taken away. The more moifture they have within them,the more light they give s 



inforanchas they fliine in mens mouths as they be chawing of them :they fhinein their hands : 

 upon theflooreon their garments,if any drops of their fattie liquor chaunce to fall by: fo as ic 

 appearerhj that douWeffe it is the very juice and humour of the fifh which is of that nature, 

 which we doe fo woi3er at in the whole bodie. 



A a iij Chap. 



