190 
BASS. 
but little sagacity in the way in which it gets itself into 
situations of danger, but much of that guality in extricating 
itself from the snares in which it is entangled. To this purport 
Pliny and iElian express in prose what Oyid and Oppian give 
in verse: — that when encompassed with a net, it scoops out 
with its tail a furrow in the sand, and there lies hid while the 
net passes over it. 
In like extremity the greedy toils, 
With arts more exquisite the Bass beguiles: 
Low he descends when powerful fear commands, 
And scoops with labotrrmg fins the furrow’d sands; 
Lodged in that cave expected fate derides. 
While o’er his back the leaded foot-rope slides. 
Fisher’" "u observe that they often deliver themselves from 
the line by cutting away the hook; and they suppose it to be 
done by means of the serrated cutting edge of the gill-cover. 
But it is more probable that it is effected by drawing the line 
across the teeth; which are numerous and capable of acting 
like a file or rasp. Oppian, in borrowing perhaps from Ovid, 
gives also another and less likely explanation of their way of 
escape : — 
“The crafty Bass, whene’er they conscious feel 
Deep in their jaws infix’d the barbed steel. 
Writhing with restive fury backward bound. 
The hook dismissing through the widen’d wound.” 
The food of the Bass is the smaller fishes, shrimps and other 
crustaceous animals, and sea-weeds; and they readily take an 
offered bait. They are most frequently caught in summer and 
autumn, when many circumstances combine to bring them within 
reach of the fisherman; but they are rarely seen in winter. 
It has been said that they breed twice in the year; but it is 
doubtful whether with us winter is one of these seasons. 
The young are seen in harbours and at the mouths of the 
larger rivers in considerable numbers; but when full-grown 
they become solitary, and prowl along the coast; for they do 
not commonly seek the deep water; and although capable of 
living in fresh-water, do not pass into it in preference. They 
are widely distributed, but are by much the most abundant in 
the southern counties of England and Ireland. They have 
been found in the Firth of Forth, but I believe no further 
