MEDITERRANEAN REMORJt, 20? 



is drawn out of the water, but continues adhering 

 after the death of the animal; nor is it easy for 

 the strongest arm to effect its separation, unless? 

 it be pulled in a lateral direction, so as to 

 force it to slide along the surface of the skin. 

 When a great many of these fishes are thus ad- 

 hering at once to the sides of a ship, they may 

 in some degree retard its motion, by preventing 

 its easy passage through the water, in the same 

 manner as any other extraneous substances are 

 known to do 3 nor can it be thought improbable 

 that the adhesion of these fishes in considerable 

 numbers to the side of a small canoe in the earlier 

 ages of mankind, may have operated still more 

 powerfully, and not only have impeded its progress, 

 but even have caused it to incline towards one side ; 

 and the tale once related, might have gradually 

 grown into the exaggerated powers afterwards 

 ascribed to the animal. 



A second reason of the Remora's thus attaching 

 itself to the larger fishes and to vessels is, that 

 it may be in readiness to avail itself of the oc- 

 casional remains of the prey of the former, or 

 of the offals thrown out from the latter; being 

 naturally voracious, and by no means delicate in 

 its choice, and frequently following vessels in 

 great numbers in order to obtain occasional sup- 

 plies of food. The Remora also, especially in 

 stormy weather, adheres to rocks, like the Lump- 

 Fish and some others; 



The Remora is principally an inhabitant of the 

 Mediterranean and Atlantic seas. Its general co- 



