Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-07

IHI ~IULlIN.-Ih This iish j, the >.u!.ilu
and meancst, LATEST aud most coutelnl.,l-
bile Of all fish. He will sneak round amer
a hook baited with the mcauc,; al bait.
when All other respectable and wel!-be-
haved fish cannot be tempted Ia bite. The
Sclpin seems To take delight ia being
caught. and be will put hmscl. in the way
of being hooked ont of water about Is OF.
ten a. ily viii return - the bun.. hole Of
molasses barrel ANY one who ha, ever
hshcd where the ~culpin WIS likely 20 De-,
found. or ever caught one. Will tell you
that ne would rather fish three DAYS with
or bite. than to catch a Sculp!u The
Ncuipin i very numerous fish. He may
be found anywhere along our salt water
shores, and seems 10 De partial 20 >hoai
water. and the bottom probably. in order
10 have chance - rest himself a. often as
possible. The ScGlpin will eat anYthiu.
he can swallow. which is almost every
thing, a. he has a mouth capable Of taking
IN - iobster-trap sideways. lie will bite a
hook without any bait on il. provided he
thinks he stands Il chance of being caught.
We have known man to catch Sculpin all
day and throw him back into the water a.
fast as he caught him, land sometimes "A
20 od deal faster until he had caught him
several hundred times. The Scupin being
very worthless Ash, this Kind Of pa,tinie
Is materially dnlled when we consider tlIat
II the Scalpin would change himself into :.
Narkcrel, how much more pleasant II
would be to catch him. The Sculpin is
very plain fish TO look at. He is ali head.
except that portion reserved tor the mouth
some people are deluded with the idea that
ne Is sinart,-this is a mistake, unless his
siharthess consists IN gluttony and the
preyinS upon other helpless aud unprotect
ed hsh. The Sculpin il an easy fish To
eaten. boy has been known to catch an
aWfuI pile of him in an hour many Of
HEN being the same Sculpin ne caught he.
iore' ana II wasn't a good day for Sculpin.
aiher- lie will not go in schools. which
must account for his being such Il Ounce
lie Is the same as an idle boy He hunt,
mischief all day. goes to bed and dreams
out more mischief TO hunt tomorrow. The
hrst time We ever saw a Sculpin we were
frightened. We were fishing for CunnerS.
but they wouldn't bite. AMER the bait got
All worn off from the hook by throwing il
into the wafer, we had nibble. Wehaul-
ed in our line, aud thought we had TWO
bnli-hogs and plckerel, but a boy Iazily
angling along the shore said 1t was a
oculpin. The first thing we were aware of
he was trying to get off the hook. Then
nc maui iof US WIN III. Dig red eyes and
cavern mouth, We made an Intellectual
pass at him with the end of the pole, when
slap. he came. square into our face,
scratching and bfuising it badly, The boy
stood by with contemplate grin on his
phiZ, and as he slowly turned his back on
u.s. with the sea-breeze there came an in
audible muttering which sounded very
much like-''greeR r But we forgaye him. |
ana suddenly concluded to offer him a ten
cent scrip TO take Sculpin OFF our hook
he took Us up. and seized the line about |
a foot aud half from the Sculpin. and.
swinging him around his head once or /
twice, gently lulled him into unconscious |
ness BY patting the rocks with him. to the /
time of "Old Grimes is dead.r &c. He |
did this about as long as fifteen or twenty |
times. the last time letting him lie, to see |
, he was asleep. Then he gently placed |
lias No. 10 shoe upon the Sculpin's breast,
..e the hook between his fore and thumb |
gave gentle twist. and our line
was Iree TO help us enact those trying /
scenes over again. But. it was ..too thin
We concluded 70 go home, after buying a
strihs OF etlnners of a boy. and hiring him
not to tell After getting near,r home
what should We hear but the sound of
:. Ho'os ScuipinsP" and other deris;ya
shouts. which, somehow. caused us -, e.,
IS though we would never 90 amony tha
rocks to fish again.