Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-10-21

called the wide-gab. Forthwith he entel
tained us with story he had heard of on
of the kind being taken with over fift
young herring in its stomach. But her
one of our amateur DISCIPLES of old Isaa
Walton, after puzzling his not dull brai
for some moments, recognized it fully
from descriptions he had read, as the grea
Angler of Lophius.
We then made close and careful exa
minatiOn for comparison with ichthyolo
| glcal treatises; and found dangling from al
its sides u sort of fringe of fieshy matter
the object Of which Except to add TO thu
hideousness 0f the most deformed creature
we could not possibly conjecture. Sprout
ing out Of the top of the head were three
long filaments, like miniature flag-staffs, the
| foremost of which bore thin streamer oI
flesh Cooking like pole. rod and line ready
baited) The monster is said to be a very
slow swimmer, and would not be able tc
get mOuthful TO eat, even with its enor-
nous mouth, If il had TO outswim its prey
before catching it; but its method is differ
ent. Burying itself in the mud or sand al
the bottom of the water, it gently moves
the long tilament which serves as a fishing
rod, and with the tempting looking streamer
which answers as bait, quietly angles for
Its dinner. Some unwary fish, attracted
by the delicate looking morsel moving
about, is enticed within reach, when by a
nolseless movement of its side arms or fins
the Lophius engulfs its prey in its huge
mouth, as man would use hand net.
This, exclaimed nv nephew, 'fs GER
tainly the angler of the naturalists' des-
cription; it answers exactly. In fact" he
continued, ''the whole fish is a mass of
gristle and muscles, and is all organized
with reference land for the sake solely
of, the terrible mouth. So that this fish
would furnish the best type of greediness
and rapacity, in the whole book of Nature.
The upper jaw is capable of some degree
of protrusion, and in opening the mouth
the lower jaw is thrust forward instead of
being lowered, and at the base of the upper
jaw sidelong motion is put in operation
by which II appears possible that the Ang-
Ter might be able TO swallow prey almost
equal 10 its bulk, to which also the wide
gullet can afford passage, and the stomach
a welcome; while the skin Of the body is
oO iIooC do w dlION any ucgT6e OF QlSten-
sion without inconvenience and the sides
no ribs that could offer any resis-
tance."
Our specimen was just three feet long,
and its breath across the widest expansion
of the fins twenty-three inches; bat our
captain persisted the specimens of the same
tribe taken in European waters sometimes
between five and six feet long.
After this wonderful catch, the ordinary
1wellers of the briny deep seemed too
ordinary TO further inteaest us, so, draw
ng our lines, we bade the captain hoist
sail, and for couple of hours were borne
along by delightful fresh wind. Our
empty basket and the state of the water in
he ice cooler, gave evidence that the inner
happy, heavIIy -rsrsaJn sf.tiafoN3 - TIvAe I~>d
fish, the result OF our sport, we crossed the |
weather beaten hand of our skipper with
lie ''siller bright, and, after a pleasant
title car ride, reached the farm just as the
shades of evening made the early summer
wilight most enjoyable, bearing with all
he pride of the hero the singular captive,
which had furnished us with such a plea
Iant proof of the "works of the Lord, and
lis wonders in the mighty deep"