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colonists call it vlag-man, or flag-bearer, in consequence of 

 the elongated thread from the back, like a whip, noticed in 

 the text, from which it takes its generic name, signifying a 

 charioteer. The Dutch, it seems, also call it tafel-visch, 

 (table fish) from its general use as food. 



We have very little to add on the habits of Ephippus, or 

 its subdivisions. 



The existence of the disgusting habit of Eph. argus, re- 

 ferred to in the text, seems very questionable, several authors 

 asserting, and others denying, or not mentioning it. Spix 

 and Martius, in their Pisces Brasiliensis, mention a nearly 

 similar habit in a fish called candiru, a species of silurus. 

 " Singulari enim instinctu incitatur in ostia excretoria cor- 

 poris humani intrandi, quae cum igitur in iis, qui in flumine 

 lavant, attingit, summa cum violentia irrepit, ibique carnem 

 morsu appetens, dolores, imo vita? periculum, affert. Urinae 

 odore hi pisciculi valde alliciuntur, quam ob causam accolae 

 intraturi flumen Amazonium, cujus sinus hac peste abundant, 

 praeputiurn ligula constringunt, et a mingendo abstinent." 



Among the strange figures of fish which have been pre- 

 served by Ruysch, Renard, and Valentyn, and which have for 

 so long a time excited the distrust of naturalists, there is none 

 more calculated to produce this sentiment than that which 

 they have designated by the Malay name of Ikan-Karbauw, 

 or Buffalo-Jish, though in fact there are few figures existing 

 more true to nature. 



The sharp and curved horns, the protuberance on the top 

 of the head, the compressed and unequal spines, and the 

 singular distribution of colours, all in fact exist and distinguish 

 it even generically. Its dorsal fin, without being so much 

 emarginated as in ephippus, is sufficiently so to prevent its 

 being left in cha3todon proper ; but its third ray, though raised 

 above the others, and sometimes appearing even augmented 

 by a filament, is not sufficiently elongated to make the fish a 



