THE UMBER, OR GRAYLING COMMON PIKE. 887 THE UMBER, OR GRAYLING. The ancient writers strongly recommend these fish as food for sick persons: they considered them to be peculiarly wholesome, and GRAYLING. Graylings delight chiefly in rapid streams, where they afford great amusement to the angler. They are very voracious, and rise eagerly to the Fly. They are bolder fish than Trout, and even if missed several times successively they will still pursue. So rapid are their motions in the water, that their name of Umber has been thence derived. Ausonius says of them, "The Umber swift, escapes the quickest eye." They feed principally on worms, insects, and water-snails; and the shells of the latter are often found in great quantity in their stomachs. OF THE PIKE TRIBE. Ir does not appear that more than three species of Pike were known to the ancients. The species at present known, are fifteen in number. They are all predatory fish, but few of them are so voracious as the Common Pike. They multiply fast, and increase rapidly in size. Their velocity in the water is very great, and their general muscular powers are beyond those of most other fish. THE COMMON PIKE. There is scarcely any fish of its size in the world, that in voracity can equal the Pike. One of these fish has been known to choke itself in attempting to swallow another of its own species, that proved too large a morsel: and it has been well authenticated, that in Lord Gower's canal at Trent COMMON PIKE. ham, a Pike seized the head of a Swan as she was feeding under water, and gorged so much of it, as to kill them both. A Pike was presented to Lord Cholmondeley, that was an ell long, and weighed thirty-five pounds. His Lordship directed it to be put into a canal in his garden, which at that time contained a great quantity of fish. Twelve months afterwards the water was drawn off, and it was discovered that the Pike had devoured all the fish except a large Carp, that weighed between nine and ten pounds; and even this had been bitten in several places. The Pike was again put in, and an entire fresh stock of fish for him to feed on all these he devoured in less than a year. Several times he was observed by work. men who were standing near, to draw Ducks and other water-fowl under water. Crows were shot and thrown in, which he took in the presence of the men. From this time the slaughtermen had orders to feed him with the garbage of the slaughter-house; but, being afterwards neglected, he died, as it is supposed, from want of food. Gesner relates, that a famished Pike, in the Rhone, seized the lips of a Mule, and was, in consequence, dragged out of the water; and that people, while washing their legs, had often been bitten by these voracious creatures. The smaller fish exhibit the same fear of this tyrant, as many of the feathered tribe do of the rapacious birds; while lying dormant near the surface, they sometimes swim round him in vast numbers, and with great anxiety. If the accounts of different writers on the subject are to be credited the longevity of the Pike is very remarkable. Gesner mentions a Pike, whose age was ascertained to be two hundred and sixty-seven years. OF THE MULLET TRIBE. THE lips of these fish are membranaceous, and the lower lip is carinate inwards. They have no teeth in the jaws, but on the tongue and palate only. Above the angle of the mouth there is a hard callus. The gill-membrane has seven incurvated rays. The gill-covers are smooth and rounded. THE WHITE, OR COMMON MULLET. There are few parts of the globe which border upon the sea, where the White Mullet are not found. It is one of those species of fish, which, at certain seasons of the year, pass from the sea into the rivers. These they usually enter in the months of May, June, and July Fresh water is so little injurious to the Mullet, even for permanent residence, that it is said they may even be kept through the whole year, in lakes which have sandy bottoms. They usually appear in immense shoals, and swim very near the surface of the water. When the fishermen observe an unusual THE WHITE, OR COMMON MULLET. 889 rippling in the water, and also perceive the water at a distance to have a peculiarly blue appearance, they know that a shoal of Mullet is there. The general mode in which these fish are caught, is by seine nets. In some parts of the continent, the fisherman endeavor, by making violent noises, to drive the fish into their nets; but they are so cunning, that, when surrounded by the net, the whole shoal will sometimes escape; for, if one of them spring over it, the rest, like Sheep, are sure to follow their leader. Mullet are in considerable esteem for the table; and are in best season about the month of August. They are usually eaten boiled and, on the continent, the most common sauce for them is oil and lemon-juice. OF THE FLYING-FISH IN GENERAL. THE head is covered with scales, and the mouth is destitute of teeth. FLYING-FISH. THE COMMON FLYING-FISH. The belly is angular, and the pectoral fins are almost as long as the body. These fish chiefly inhabit the seas of hot climates; but they are occasionally found within the temperate regions. There are only three known species. The wings, as they are usually denominated, with which these fish have the power of raising themselves into the air, are nothing more than large pectoral fins, composed of seven or eight ribs or rays, connected by a flexible, transparent, and glutinous membrane. They have their origin near the gills, and are capable of considerable motion backward and forward. These fins are used also to aid the progress of the fish in the water. COMMON FLYING-FISH. The Flying-fish has numerous enemies in its own element; the Dorado, the Thunny, and many others, pursue and devour it. To aid its escape, it is furnished with its long pectoral fins; and by means of these it is able to raise itself into the air, where it is often seized by the Albatross or tropic birds. Its flight is short, seldom more than sixty or seventy yards at a time, but, by touching the surface at intervals to moisten its fins, it is able to double or treble this distance. The whole flight, however, is of so short a duration, that even in the hottest weather, its fins do not become dry. By touching the water it not only wets its fins, but seems to take fresh force and vigor, for another spring into an element, where it is not long able to support its weight by the motion of its fins. If the Flying-fishes were solitary animals they would not be worth the pursuit of some of their larger enemies: they are seldom seen to rise singly from the water, but generally appear in large shoals. FLYING-FISH. It has been inconsiderately remarked, that all "animated nature seems THE COMMON FLYING-FISH. 891 combined against this little fish, which possesses the double powers of swimming and flying, only to subject it to greater dangers. If it escape its enemies of the deep, this is only that it may be devoured by the sea fowl, which are waiting its appearance in the air." Its destiny, however, is not peculiarly severe: we should consider that, as a fish, it often escapes the attack of birds; and, in its winged character, the individuals frequently throw themselves out of the power of fishes. The eyes of these fish are so prominent, as to admit of their seeing danger from whatever quarter it may come; but, on emergency, they are able, in addition, to push them somewhat beyond the sockets, so as considerably to enlarge their usual sphere of vision. They are frequently either unable to direct their flight out of a straight line, or else they become exhausted on a sudden: for sometimes whole shoals of them fall on board the ships that navigate the seas of warm climates. In the water, they have somewhat the manner of the Swallow in the air, except that they always swim in straight lines; and the blackness of their backs, the whiteness of their bellies, and their forked and expanded tails, give them much the same appearance as that of these birds. |