Vulgarly known nowadays as "the sucker," and to science as the "ECHENEIS
REMORA" and "ECHENEIS NAUCRATES," and to the blacks as "Cum-mai," the
fish upon which such grave responsibility was thrown by the ancients
monopolises the sub-order of ACANTHOPTAYGII (DISCOCEPHALI). Its
distinguishing feature is a shield or disc extending from the tip of the
upper jaw to a point behind the shoulders, and said to be a modification
of the spurious dorsal fin. This structure consists of a midrib and a
number of transverse flat ridges capable of being raised or depressed.
The disc has a membranous continuous edge or margin. When the fish
presses the soft edge of the disc against any smooth surface and
depresses the ridges and the intervening spaces, a vacuum is formed,
giving it enormous holding power. Other countries have sucker fish of
different form; but it remained for the benighted Australian blacks,
among a few other savage races, to make practical use of the creature,
which, as a means of locomotion, forms strong attachments to the dugong,
turtle, shark and porpoise. It can hardly be called domesticated, yet it
is employed after the manner of the falcon in hawking, save that the
sucker is fastened to a light line when the game is revealed.
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