38 
THRASHER. 
ever, reporting the common opinion of his day, supposes that 
this portion of its safety is to be ascribed to superior cunning. 
According to him it is so cautious of a hook, as scarcely to be 
enticed to come near it; or if appetite at any time should 
overcome caution, it would mount upward to slacken the line, 
and then cut away the hook before the fisherman was aware 
of its presence. Or if unfortunately the hook had found its 
way into the stomach, it would turn this organ, with its en- 
trails also, inside out, and so get rid of it and the danger 
together. (Var. Hist., B. 1, C. 5, and Hist, of Animals.) Oppian 
also speaks of the same proceeding as an instance of superior 
intelligence, (B. 3,) and from him we learn that in fishing for 
it, at least the lower portion of the line was formed of hair. 
To guard the hook from being cut away, the line for some 
distance above it was armed, or as a fisherman who now uses 
the same precaution, would say, was ganged, with flexible brass 
wire twisted regularly and firmly round it. But strange as they 
may appear, these efforts to escape are not to be altogether 
regarded as imaginary on the part of the writers. We cannot 
indeed affirm it of this species in particular, but the greater part 
of the Sharks will deal with the fisherman’s hooks in the manner 
described; and there are fishes, although perhaps not Sharks, 
which are known, probably through fear, to evert the stomach, 
when drawn up with the line. The explanation of the ancients 
is, in numerous instances, more of a mistake than the narration 
of the fact itself. 
The angry disposition which this fish is believed to manifest 
to all the animals of the Whale tribe, has been often remarked 
by sailors; and the manner in which it is shewn has obtained 
for it the name of Thrasher. The lashing of the sea by its 
tail has been known to put to hasty flight a herd of sportive 
Dolphins; and instances are reported where a Sword-fish on 
the one hand, and a Thrasher on the other, have persecuted 
a large Whale in the severest manner, perhaps even to death; 
and yet it is not easy to imagine why such terror should be 
felt at the presence of such an enemy; for its teeth could not 
do injury, and it does not possess any other weapon of offence, 
ihe motive of the persecution also on the one side is as un- 
intelligible as fear of the Thrasher is on the other. 
The 'Lhrasher is not uncoiumi on the western and southern 
