117. The sargus is another fish. He (as Icesius tells us) is a fish of very exciting and astringent properties, and more nutritious than the melanurus, or blacktail. But Numenius, in his treatise on Fishing, says that the sargus is a very cunning fish as respects the catching him:— The rich sea-blackbird, or the thrush who sports Beneath the waves; the sargus too who rushes Now here with sudden movement, and now there, The greatest enemy to the fisher's nets. And Aristotle, in the fifth book of his treatise on the Parts of Animals, says that the sargus brings forth its young twice in the year; once in the spring, and once in the autumn. And Epicharmus, in his Hebe's Wedding, says— The sargus, and the chalcis, and the . . . But he speaks of the sarginus, or sargus, as an excellent fish, in the following lines— There the sarginus was, the melanurus, And the dear tænia, thin but delicious. And in a similar manner Dorion, in his treatise on Fishes, speaks, calling them sargini and chalcides, on this very account. But the wise Archestratus says— Now when the bright Orion's star doth set, And the fair mother of the vinous grape Doth shed her hair, then take a roasted sargus, Well sprinkled o'er with cheese, of mighty size, Smoking, and soften'd with sharp vinegar. For he is hard by nature. And remember This is the way all hard fish should be cook'd. But those whose meat is good and soft by nature, It is enough to sprinkle well with salt, And lightly to anoint with oil. For they Have virtue and delights within themselves. 118. There is the salpe, too. Epicharmus, in his Hebe's Wedding, says— The aon, and the phagrus, and the pike, And the dung-eating, bloated, dirty salpe, Which still have a sweet flavour in the summer. And Aristotle, in the fifth book of his Parts of Animals, says that the salpe has young once a-year only, in the autumn; and that his skin is covered with numerous red lines. Moreover, he has serrated teeth, and is a solitary fish. And he says that it is stated by the fishermen that he may be caught with a cucumber, being very fond of that kind of food. And Archestratus says— I always do account the fish call'd salpe A worthless fish. But it is least tasteless When the wheat ripens. And the choicest kinds Are caught at Mitylene. And Pancrates, in his Works of the Sea, says— There is the salpe too, of the same size, Which the seafaring fishermen do call The ox, because he grinds within his teeth The stout seaweed with which he fills his belly.