26 
BALLAN WRASS. 
Observations such as these can only be supposed the sport 
of a lively imagination, but it is certain that in ancient times 
the fishes of this family were more observed, and held in 
higher estimation than now they are, and, indeed, as food they 
deserve to be. Pliny even calls Wrasses “Turdi nobiles inter 
sexa<i7es”— noble among fishes that frequent rocks; and Columella 
appears to give countenance to the same opinion by informing 
us that they were among the principal which the Roman'^ 
kept in their salt-water stagna or ponds, and “quarem pretia 
vigent which sold for a good price; to which Oppian adds 
his suffrage by calling them delicate Wrasses. With us they 
are scarcely thought worthy of the trouble of conveying them 
to market, their flesh being considered soft and pulpy, without 
any distinguishing taste; but it is proper we should add, that 
although the Wrass is generally as little valued in Ireland as 
in England, we learn from Mr. Thompson, in his natural history 
of that country, it is otherwise in Galway; where a regular 
fishery for taking it is carried on, and it is preferred to most 
other sorts of fish. The truth, indeed, appears to lie between 
the two extremes, for when skilfully cooked it may maintain 
competition with some kinds that are held in better estimation. 
Perhaps we may gather from Rondeletius some help that 
may assist us in explaining this variety of opinion in regard 
to the estimation in which this and some other fishes have 
been held as food at one time, and the dislike or neglect 
shewn to them at another. He remarks that the ancient 
Romans never ate their fish but with an artificial taste; so that 
their cooks were accustomed to shew their skill by dressing 
them with spices, a variety of herbs, and such strange sauces 
as we have already described. What would have tasted salt 
vras rendered sweet with honey or sugar, and the insipid was 
seasoned. That which was tasteless was seasoned with 
onions, leeks, garlic, or omphacium, (a kind of oil or rob from 
the unripe olive, or the grape,) and vinegar; and these ingre- 
dients were perhaps necessary to render palatable what may 
have been long out of water in a warm climate. It is a 
remark sometimes made by our own fishermen that they could 
not eat ivhat of this sort often finds access to a gentleman’s 
table. 
The Wrass is fished for from rocks overhanging the coast, or 
