Latin Texts & Translations

All fish have a presentiment of a rigorous winter, but more especially those which are supposed to have a stone ^[Note] in the head, the lupus, ^[Note] for instance, the chromis, ^[Note] the sciæ-

na, ^[Note] and the phagrus. ^[Note] When the winter has been very severe,

many fish are taken in a state of blindness. ^[Note] Hence it is, that during these months they lie concealed in holes, in the same manner as land animals, as we have already ^[Note] mentioned; and more especially the hippurus, ^[Note] and the coracinus, ^[Note] which Archestratus looks upon its head as a delicacy, but thinks so little of the other parts, that they are not, in his opinion, worth carrying away. He was, however, well known to be much too refined in his notions of epicurism.

are never taken during the winter, except only on a few stated days, which are always the same. The same with the muræna ^[Note] also, and the orphus, ^[Note] the conger, ^[Note] the perch, ^[Note] and all

the rock-fish. It is said that, during the winter, the torpedo, ^[Note] the psetta, ^[Note] and the sole, conceal themselves in the earth, or rather, I should say, in excavations made by them at the bottom of the sea.