Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: July 16, 2025
And so saying, the sailor returned to the operation, thus temporarily suspended, the flensing of the shark. The fish that had thus singularly fallen into their hands was, as Ben had stated, the sucking-fish, Echeneis remora, one of the most curious creatures that inhabit the sea. Not so much from any peculiarity in appearance as from the singularity of its habits.
The pilot-fish only deserted their master when the derrick hauled him out of the water, and at the same time some dozen remoras, or sucking-fish, looking like disgusted bloated leeches, let go their hold on the shark and dropped back into the sea. No human being would voluntarily pay a second visit to Colon, a dirty, mean collection of shanties, with inhabitants worthy of it.
A smaller species of the sucking-fish is found in the Mediterranean, the Echeneis remora. It was well-known to the ancient writers; though, like most creatures gifted with any peculiarity, it was oftener the subject of fabulous romance than real history. It was supposed to have the power of arresting the progress of a ship, by attaching itself to the keel and pulling in a contrary direction!
There are two well-known species of sucking-fish, the common one described, and another of larger size, found in the Pacific, the Echeneis australis. The latter is a better shaped fish than its congener, can swim more rapidly, and is altogether of a more active habit.
Other floating objects, however, are used by the sucking-fish, such as pieces of timber, the keel of a ship; and it even rests itself against the sides of submerged rocks, as the sailor had stated. It also adheres to whales, turtles, and the larger kinds of albacore.
Fresh-Water Fish are, Sturgeon. Pike. Trouts. Gudgeon. Pearch English. Pearch, white. Pearch, brown, or Welch-men. Pearch, flat, and mottled, or Irishmen. Pearch small and flat, with red Spots, call'd round Robins. Carp. Roach. Dace. Loaches. Sucking-Fish. Cat-Fish. Grindals. Old-Wives. Fountain-Fish. White-Fish. The Shell-Fish are. Large Crabs, call'd Stone-Crabs. Smaller flat Crabs.
With a long-handled harpoon, which Snowball had succeeded in securing, he was enabled to strike several of these creatures; so that by the evening of the sixth day, his larder was considerably increased, comprising, in the way of fish, an albacore, a brace of bonitos, with three satellites of the sharks, a pilot-fish and two sucking-fish.
Clinging to the back of the shark, were four or five Remoras, or sucking-fish; snaky parasites, impossible to remove from whatever they adhere to, without destroying their lives. The Remora has little power in swimming; hence its sole locomotion is on the backs of larger fish.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking