THE SCENE: Pliny the Elder, the great Roman naturalist, describes how dolphins used to cooperate with fisherman in a “battle” with mullet-fish.
THE TEXT: In the province of Gallia Narbonesis and the region of Nemausus there is a march called Latera where dolphins and men co-operate to catch fish. At a fixed season a huge number of mullet rushes through the narrow mouth of the marsh into the sea, after watching for a turn of the tide that prevents nets from being stretched across the channel.
When the fisherman see this and a crowd collects, as they know the time and are keen on this sport, the whole population shouts as loudly as it can from the shore, calling on “Snubnose” for the finale of the show. The dolphins soon hear their wish and at once hurry to the spot to help.
Their battle-line appears and immediately takes up position where the fray is to commence. They put themselves between the open sea and the shore and drive the mullet into shallow water. Then the fishermen set their nets and lift the fish out of the water with two-pronged spears. The speed of some of the mullet enables them to leap over the barriers, but the dolphins still catch them. But satisfied for the moment with killing them, the dolphins put off their supper until complete victory has been achieved.
The battle heats up. The dolphins press on very bravely and do not mind being caught in the nets, and fearing that this may encourage the enemy’s flight, they slip out gently between boats, nets and swimming fishermen to avoid opening up ways of escape. Non tries to get away by leaping out of the water, which in other circumstances they like doing, unless the nets are placed beneath them.
– Natural History, Pliny the Elder, 1st Century AD
