Sucking-fish, a species of Echeneis. See Echeneis, Ichthyology Index.—Many incredible things are related of this animal by the ancients; so that it had the power of stopping the largest and swiftest vessel in its course; and even to this day it is asserted by the fishermen in the Mediterranean, that it has a power of retarding the motion of their boats by attaching itself to them; for which reason they kill it whenever they fancied this retardation took place.