MAIGRES. 
93 
The flesh of such specimens as have from time 
to time found their way to our markets has been 
considered goodj though rather dry. In the Me- 
diterranean, however, it has been very highly es- 
teemed, from the earliest times, and bears the title 
of King^s Jish, from its reputed excellence. It 
appears always to have been in great request with 
epicures ; and as, on account of its large size, it 
was always sold in pieces, the fishermen of Rome 
were in the habit of presenting the head, which 
was considered the finest part, as a sort of tri- 
bute, to the three local magistrates who acted for 
the time as conservators of the city.” 
A curious story is told of the travels and adven- 
tures of a Maigre’s head that was presented to the 
magistrates in the pontificate of Sextus X. The 
conservators offered it as an acceptable present to 
the Pope’s nephew ; by whom it was sent to one 
of the Cardinals ; the latter sent it as a propitia- 
tory offering to a banker to whom he was deeply 
in debt; and the banker presented it to his mis- 
tress. The interest of the story rests chiefly on 
the ingenuity of a dinner-hunter, who contrives 
to trace the savoury dish through all its migra- 
tions, and succeeds at length in obtaining an in- 
vitation to partake of the dainty. 
Th^ two hard bones that are lodged in the sides 
of the head, commonly known as the ear-stones, 
have been supposed by the vulgar, and by the 
scientific in former times, to possess medicinal 
powers. They were called colic-stones ; and their 
virtues as curative of this disorder were supposed 
to be exercised by being worn round the neck, 
usually mounted in gold. But then it was indis- 
pensable that they should have been received as 
