Natural history. Fishes |
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Common terms and phrases
air-bladder anal fins angler animals appearance armed bait Ballan Wrasse beautiful belly beneath Blennies boat body bones bony bottom British Fishes caudal caudal fin Chaetodons coast colour common compressed crustacea Cuvier depth destitute dorsal and anal dorsal fin Eels eyes Family feet filaments fisheries fishermen flesh frequently fresh furnished genera genus gill-cover gill-rays gills Grey Mullet Gurnards habits head hook inches in length inhabit Labridae lateral line lengthened less LINN little fishes Mackerel marine Mediterranean membrane minute Mullet naturalists nearly nest observed operculum pectoral fins pectorals peculiar Perch pharynx Pike placed pointed pounds weight prey rays resemble rivers rocks round Salmon scales Scombrida Sea-Bream seen Shark shoals shores side silvery skin slender snout soft sometimes spawn species specimens spines spinous sport spots stomach sub-family surface swimming tail taken teeth thick Trout Tunnies upper ventrals vertical vomer voracious whole Wrasses Yarrell
Popular passages
Page 52 - ... the fresh turf below the shade of trees, whose bright blossoms are filled with the music of the bee ; and on the surface of the waters to view the gaudy flies sparkling like animated gems in the sunbeams, whilst the bright and beautiful trout is watching them from below; to hear the twittering of the water-birds, who, alarmed at your approach, rapidly hide themselves beneath the flowers and leaves of the water-lily; and as the season advances, to find all these objects changed for others of the...
Page 52 - ... the fisher for salmon and trout with the fly employs not only machinery to assist his physical powers, but applies sagacity to conquer difficulties ; and the pleasure derived from ingenious resources and devices, as well as from active pursuit, belongs to this amusement. Then as to its philosophical tendency, it is a pursuit of moral discipline, requiring patience, forbearance, and command of temper.
Page 52 - How delightful in the early spring, after the dull and tedious time of winter, when the frosts disappear and the sunshine warms the earth and waters, to wander forth by some clear stream...
Page 308 - Lured by the scent Of steaming crowds, of rank disease and death, Behold ! he rushing cuts the briny flood, Swift as the gale can bear the ship along ; And, from the partners of that cruel trade, Which spoils unhappy Guinea of her sons, Demands his share of prey ; demands themselves. The stormy fates descend : one death involves Tyrants and slaves ; when...
Page 20 - O with what horrors would creation groan, — What agonies would ever be before us, Famine and pestilence, disease, despair, Anguish and pain in every hideous shape, Had all to wait the slow decay of Nature ! Life were a martyrdom of sympathy, Death, lingering, raging, writhing, shrieking torture ; The grave would be...
Page 141 - Directed by the movements of the birds, we followed the Mackerel, tacking or wearing the boat occasionally, when we found that we had overrun the shoal. For two hours we killed those beautiful fish, as fast as the baits could be renewed and the lines hauled in; and when we left off fishing, actually wearied with sport, we found that we had taken above five hundred, including a number of the coarser species, known on this coast by the name of Horse Mackerel.
Page 83 - I observed that they used an unusual degree of force when conveying the material to its destination. When the fish was about an inch from the nest, it suddenly darted at the spot, and left the tiny fragment in its place, after which it would be engaged for half a minute in adjusting it. The nest, when taken up, did not separate, but hung together like a piece of wool.
Page 52 - ... earth and waters, to wander forth by some clear stream, to see the leaf bursting from the purple bud, to scent the odours of the bank perfumed by the violet, and enamelled, as it were, with the primrose and the daisy; to wander upon the fresh turf below the shade of trees, whose bright blossoms are filled with the music of the bee ; and on the surface of the waters to view the gaudy flies sparkling like animated gems in the sunbeams, whilst the bright and beautiful trout is watching them from...
Page 288 - The species of this genus are remarkable for being provided with the means of suddenly assuming a globular form by swallowing air, which, passing into the* crop or first stomach, blows up the whole animal like a balloon. The abdominal region being thus rendered the lightest, the body turns over, the stomach...
Page 166 - Its manners accord with its aspect, for it is remarkably strong, very active, and equally ready to defend itself or to attack an enemy. It often enters the fishermen's nets, for the purpose of plundering them of the entangled fish ; and when the fishermen attack it, and it cannot escape, it fights like a lion.