And it is quite obvious that the animal is sleeping, from its
movements if any disturbance be made during its repose; for it moves
just as you would expect in a creature suddenly awakened. Further,
owing to their being asleep, fish may be captured by torchlight. The
watchmen in the tunny-fishery often take advantage of the fish being
asleep to envelop them in a circle of nets; and it is quite obvious
that they were thus sleeping by their lying still and allowing the
glistening under-parts of their bodies to become visible, while the
capture is taking Place. They sleep in the night-time more than during
the day; and so soundly at night that you may cast the net without
making them stir. Fish, as a general rule, sleep close to the
ground, or to the sand or to a stone at the bottom, or after
concealing themselves under a rock or the ground. Flat fish go to
sleep in the sand; and they can be distinguished by the outlines of
their shapes in the sand, and are caught in this position by being
speared with pronged instruments. The basse, the chrysophrys or
gilt-head, the mullet, and fish of the like sort are often caught in
the daytime by the prong owing to their having been surprised when
sleeping; for it is scarcely probable that fish could be pronged while
awake.
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