No. 628] STUDIES IN ECIIENEIS OR REMORA 457 



counter, and both are hauled in together. 



Our next account is an eye witness one dated but a few 

 years after MacGillivray's. John Jardine was for some 

 years police magistrate at Somerset, Cape York, where his 

 duties brought him into close contact with the natives. 

 As a result of his experiences, in 1866 he published the 

 following account of fishing with the sucking-fish at Cape 

 York: 



natives here. This custom, though said to be known so long back as the 

 time of the discovery of America by Columbus, is so strangely interest- 

 species of suckSg-fish (Remora) is used. On the occasion to which I 

 allude, two of these were caught by the blacks in the small pools in a 

 coral reef, care being taken not to injure them. Thfey were laid in the 

 bottom of a canoe, and covered over with sea-weed — a strong fishing-line 

 having been previously fastened to the tail of each. Four men went in 

 the canoe; one steering with a paddle in the stern, one paddling on 



attending to llie fishing lines; while I sat on a sort of stage fixed niid- 

 sliip, supported by the outrigger-poles. The day was very calm and 



very strong on these shores. A small turtle was seen, and the sucking- 

 fish was put into the water. At first it swam lazily about, apparently 



element; but presently it swam slowly in the direction of the turtle, 

 till out of sight; in a very short time the line was rapidly carried out, 

 there was a jerk, and the turtle was fast. The line was handled gently 

 for two or three minutes, the stcei-sinan causing the canoe to follow the 

 course of the turtle with great dexerity. It was soon exhausted and 

 hauled up to the canoe. It was a small turtle, weighing a little under 

 40 lbs., but the sucking-fish adhered so tenaciously to it, as to raise it 

 from the ground, when held up by the tail, and this some time after 

 being taken out of the water.- A strong breeze coming on, the^canoe 



\vci..Iiiiig more than KM) lbs., which have ])eon taken in the manner 



Wo next hear ofllils H<li in dill's ''Life in the Southern 

 I>l('s" ( ls7(;). wlicrriii ln' cori-oliorates MacGillivray and 



