TUNNY. 
87 
^nietimes to attain. It is certain that the name of Thon or 
an in the plural Thannin — was in early ages applied to 
of the larger inhabitants of the sea, and even of the 
nver, as the crocodile; and that its special application to the 
proper Whales is comparatively modern, and was only adopted 
ecause of the greatly superior size of these animals, as in 
®^ill later times was also the Greek name of the Kete, and 
the corresponding Latin word Cete, both of which have been 
amiliarly used to signify a large fish of any kind. The luuny 
been spoken of in these last terms as being the largest of 
^ty for which observers felt a particular interest; and instances 
on record of its having been seen of such a size as fully 
to equal any of the true VWiales which ordinary observation 
ean have met with in the Mediterranean. Cetti, in his “Natural 
distory of Siberia,” is quoted as saying that a Tunny 
^eighing a thousand pounds is not uncommon, and one has 
een known of the weight of eighteen hundred pounds. Pliny 
**peaks as if he had been a witness to its weighing fifteen 
talents, or about twelve hundred pounds; and he quotes 
Aristotle for the fact that the breadth of its tail has measured 
ve cubits and a palm, or between seven and eight feet, which 
*ige dimensions will appear the less surprising by reference 
to the authority of Belon, who says that in the year 1665, a 
unny was caught on the coast of Spain, which in length 
Measured thirty-two feet, and in girth sixteen. 
_ The fishery for the Tunny appears to have been followed 
the Mediterranean from the earliest ages; and it is even 
iioie than merely probable that the people along the coasts of 
1 0 nations which settled first on the sea border of Palestine, 
ogan their acquaintance with the ocean by the pursuit of 
which We speak. If we may give credit to the authority of 
anchoneatho, the art of fishing was practised by one who is 
elieved to answer to the Tubal Cain of the Scriptures, and 
^ho for that purpose invented fish-hooks and the use of little 
oats; and, according to the same authority, there were fishermen 
at Berytus when Chronus (or Noah) was yet alive. Nor let 
It startle us that before the flood of Noah there should have 
oon a Mediterranean Sea, with cities on its borders. Pliny 
records a tradition of the existence of Joppa before the flood, 
5, C. 14;) and the great goddess of the Sidonians was 
