_Greek Names of Fishes_ (Vol. iv. p. 501.).--The ὀρφὸς may
perhaps be recognised by the zoologist from the following
characteristics given by Aristotle in his history of animals:
"1. It is of speedy growth (b. v. c. 9.). 2. Keeps close in shore
(b. viii. c. 13.). 3. Burrows in holes, as the lamprey and conger
(b. viii. c. 15.). 4. Lives only on animal food like other
cartilaginous fishes (b. viii. c. 2.)."
It is therefore of Cuvier's series, _chondropterigii_, of which the
sturgeon is _facile princeps_.
The μέμβρας is classed by Aristotle (b. vi. c. 15.) under the
general term ἀφύη, which appears to correspond well with
Cuvier's genus _clupea_ (including the herring, pilchard, sprat,
white-bait, &c), and was taken, Aristotle says, all the year, except
from autumn to spring, which corresponds with the migrations of this
genus; the shad coming in May and departing in July, the anchovy
appearing from May to July, the pilchard in July, the herring in October
and beginning of November, and the sprat in November. The ἀφύη,
he also says, were salted for keeping. The μέμβρας was
obtained in the Phaleric harbour (b. vi. c. 15.), close to the marsh and
street of the same name at Athens.[6] Aristotle also represents the
τρίχιαι as coming from the τρίχιδες, and the latter
from the μεμβράδες; hence it is to be inferred that the
fishermen called this fish at different stages of its growth by
different names, in mistake. The τρίχιδες appear also to have
been as abundant at Athens as sprats are with us, the latter selling
sometimes at sixpence the bushel, and being used for manure, whilst
Aristophanes mentions the price of five farthings (one _obolus_) the
hundred of τρίχιδες (_Knights_, 662.). The ἀφύη was
obtained from the Attic shores of Salamine and Marathon (_Aristot. H.
A._ b. vi. c. 15.), and the supply was stopped or much diminished by war
(_Knights_, 644.). The ὀρφὸς was a more valuable fish than the
μέμβρας, as the refusing the latter and buying the former
furnished the next stallman with the opportunity of insinuating that the
purchaser was forgetful of liberty, equality, &c. (_Wasps_, 494.;
_Knights_, 851.). Theodore Gaza, the Latin translator of Aristotle's
_History of Animals_, renders ὀρφὸς by _cernua_. Amongst his
various banquets, Homer never mentions _fish_, afterwards admitted as a
delicacy of the costliest kind at Grecian and Roman feasts.
[Footnote 6: Not from a fish called _Phalerica_, as stated in
Scapula's lexicon.]