| OCR Text |
Show 1884.] THE REMORA BY NATIVE FISHERMEN. 413 hunting. In some cases these appendages had evidently remained for years, during which the fish had so grown that the iron had become imbedded in a thick fleshy formation. In two instances the ring had been inserted in the muscular substance at the root of the tail, but generally a simple iron band was welded round the thinnest part of the body a few inches from the tail, which kept it from slipping off. To this was riveted a small movable ring or loop resembling that of a watch-handle. In one case (fig. 2) this loop was fastened on by servings of brass wire in a similar manner to the rings of a fishing-rod. It was some weeks before I succeeded in purchasing one of these fish ; I proposed sending it to the International Fisheries Exhibition, but it was killed by some Cranes ; and a second one which I obtained died, probably through want of sufficient water, it having been placed in a small stone tank, in consequence of my being unable to procure one of the small canoes. I afterwards arranged to purchase another on its return from a fishing-trip. It was brought to me a few weeks later minus its ring, and with a large wound or rent above the tail, part of which was gone. The owner declared that it had caught two Turtle, which he showed me lying in his canoe, and that it had afterwards affixed itself to a large Shark and, holding on after all the spare line had been paid out, the tail had given way. He stated that the Chazo had then relinquished its hold and returned in its mutilated state to the boat. He assured me this was not an unusual occurrence, and that after a time a fresh ring would be attached and the fish become as useful as before. I endeavoured to preserve one of these Chazos in spirits of wine, but failed owing to the inferior quality of the spirit. This specimen measured 2 feet 8 inches in length and weighed 3| lbs. The sucker contained twenty-three pairs of lamellse. I was anxious to visit the fishing-grounds in order personally to verify the information collected regarding the employment of this fish ; but as the trips made by the fishermen never occupy less than fifteen days, m y accompanying them was out of the question, and I had no boat sufficiently large to make the voyage safely. On m y return to Zanzibar, however, I hope to arrange such a visit, and may then be able to supplement this paper, which does not pretend to any scientific value, with a full and accurate report on the whole subject. In the meantime this short account of what was recently heard and seen as to the use of the Remora on the east coast of Africa may perhaps prove useful by directing attention to an interesting zoological question. il o PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1884, No. XXVIII. 28 |
