Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-09-23
The catfish.

From the bull-pouts of the brook up to
the great wolf-fish, a compact chain, with
no missing link, connects the great family
OF the eat-fishes. Why catfish, we shall
presently see. His favorite seat and
homestead is, undoubtedly, the inland sea
OF the Mississippi; but he can live any
where, and, in point Of fact, does live
everywhere. His services are indispensa-
bic and his adaptation to his business per-
feet He is found in the rivers of Asia,
and has relatives living in the North seas.
He ranges the waters as widely as man
ranges the land. Pimelodus Cdtus is a
true cosmopolitan-in fish society. He is
the slyest Of all the fishes. He delights in
still waters, deep holes, eddies, and the
cover of drift wood-except that pale,
lean fellow who frequents the brackish
waters of the coast, he is a bold rover, He
is omniverous as shark, cruel as fate,
soft, slow, oily, undulating in his motions,
cunning, crafty and greedy. Garbage of
any kind forms his diet, and doubtless his
little, beady eyes sparkle with delight
when he chances upon a peculiarly odor-
Gus bit of H.
The first rule of catfish philosophy is,
that here is nothing which il is impossi
BILE TO swallow. No catfish is in good
standing among his fellows unless he can
bolt his own weight in meat and bones
without winking or stretching his neck,
He is impudent and brave, resisting cap
ture with the greatest determination, dies
slow and dies game. He never takes his
prey with any of the swift, fierce eager
ness of the trout, pike or bass; there is no
dash, no elan about him. He approaches
the bait deliberately, clasps it in his vice.
like jaws and moves away so gently at first
with such soft strain upon the line that
YOU are in doubt whether he is fastened
or not. He Is 10th to exert his immense
strength, and viii not do SO until he finds
himself firmly hooked. Then he rouses
himself and struggles with stubborn,
angry courage, quite in contrast with the
fright and terror of other game fish.
He is, among fish, what the owl is
among birds-very wise, very still, very
independent, and always hungry. Though
a ght-prowler by profession, he is very
much in the habit of lunchingat all hours
of the day He has no scales, his skin is
softer than satin, as smooth as ivory, and
his whole organism the perfection of elias.
ITCHY. compactness and strength. You
never see him idly frisking about nor
spending his time In foolish gambols. He
never flirts himself out OF the water, even
when seeking his prey, much less from any
nonsensical ambition TO show his agility.
He hugs the ground closely, avoids swift
currents, or, when In them, seeks the ed.
dies and the shelter of the rocks on the
bottoms winds in and out along the shore,
solemnly, mysteriously, stealthily, always
on the gai gige for something TO swallow,
yet never disappointed if he finds nothing,
Though always graceful in his move
ments, his general appearance carries with
il the impression Of a laughable mixture
OF cunning, malevolence and drollery.
He is wag, a rogue, a tyrant, a gluttOn.
He sometimes attains the weight of 200
pounds, and then he Is as ugly customer
as one could wish 10 see His head is as
wide rs q road-scraper and pretty much
the same shape. His ponderous Jaws set
together like steel-trap and, when out OF
the water his eyes have a vicious, metallic
luster which they retain till he has
breathed his last gasp,
The poetical justice of being swallowed
by an other fish, has never been meted out
to the catfish. The three poisonous thorns
which stand out from his body, one al
each side and one above, afford him ample
protection. Altogether, the catfish IL q
very queer fellow, a fellow Of infinite
originality and humor. II YOU ever have
an opportunity 10 observe him in his
native element, you will find him an in
teresting study. You will never find the
great leviathaus of the iish.market In wa
ter clear enough for AN observation, but
the smaller members Of the family, the
hOrned.pOut Of the brook, for instance,
YOU may often see. His palpi droOp
gracefully over his muZzle, not unlike a
mOustaChe, and as he moves lcis-
urely about, the almost incredible
phenomenon of 1.-The tail that ways
the dog" is clearly illustrated; for the
tail Of the catfish certainly does wag his
body He seeks no companions, Is the
most sclf-contained Of all the fishes, yet l.
no misanthrope. He delights In punch
ing his broad nose under chips and sticks,
and sometimes a merry freak will seize
him all nj once and he will double him.
self up. seem to touch his nose with his
tail and bend himself into scollops in the
very exuberance of his muscular elastic
ity. Then away he goes again, wagging
his head at all the other fishes, seeking
with all his wonted and industrious So
lemnity for something 10 swallow.
As an article Of diet catfish meat is pop.
ular in Western hotels where it figures AS
baked trout" tits dMiby, but then IT Is
cheap--nothing so cheap. The supply Is
inexhaustible and the price uniform
never any cheaper or any nastier at one
season than another. Boiled, IL makes "A
very good salye OF poutice. HIS general
utility in life detracts from his accepta-
bility in death--with many people. As "a
standard dish, he ranks n little lower than
hash, little higher than rat-pies.--Nen
0rLeans Times.
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