Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/195

Rh habitual place is on the muddy or sandy bottom, on which its flattened form lies close. While lying thus, it stirs up, by the action of its pectorals and ventrals, the mud around, and thus renders the water turbid. Under the concealment thus formed, it moves hither and thither its coronal filaments, and especially that one which bears a little silvery flag; which, glimmering through the cloudy water, attracts other passing fishes towards it, actuated either by curiosity or appetite. The upturned eyes of the Angler mark the success of his strategic art, and a sudden lifting of his capacious mouth engulfs the unsuspecting victims.

The voracity of this fish is very great; in fact it seems to be composed of little else than mouth and stomach. Montagu says of one, that when suspended by the head, the contents of the stomach were readily seen, viz., by looking into the mouth and down the throat. The same naturalist remarks, that when the Angler finds itself a captive in the fishermen's nets, its appetite is by no means affected by its misfortune; for it proceeds immediately to devour its companions in captivity. Fishes thus swallowed are not infrequently taken from its stomach still alive, especially those which are tenacious of life, such as the flat-fishes. Its own flesh is not held in sufficient estimation to make it any prize on its own account, but the frequency with which other fishes, more valuable than itself, are found uninjured within its stomach, renders its capture not without value.

An example of its voracity has already been quoted in the earlier pages of this volume; and