LOPHOBRANCHII AND PLECTOGNATHI. 583 



bulk it acquires, as if it sought by this means to defend itself 

 against the hand which annoys it. 



The Tetraodon ocellatus lives in Egypt, like the fahaca, of 

 which we have already spoken, and where it is regarded as 

 an insalubrious and even dangerous food, when it has not 

 been cleansed with the greatest care. 



It appears to be an error to unite this fish to the furube of 

 the Japanese, which has been figured by Seba, and of which 

 Kcempfer and Ruinph have given some details. This furube 

 forms a peculiar species, and is equally abundant and feared 

 in Japan, where it is nevertheless sought after with eagerness, 

 because it is considered to be very delicate eating, when the 

 head, the bones, and the viscera have been removed, and the 

 ilesh washed and cleansed with the utmost care. The epicures 

 df the country, we are told, frequently fall a sacrifice to the 

 unwholesome and indigestible character of this food. Accord- 

 ing to Osbeck it will cause death in two hours to those who 

 have fed upon it, without using the precautions just men- 

 tioned. It even appears that this fish is employed to ter- 

 minate an existence which has become a burthen to them, by 

 those unfortunates, whom chronic maladies, or a long series 

 of misfortunes, have thrown into a state of despair. The 

 imperial decrees even expressly forbid the soldiers to buy or 

 to eat of the furube, and that with so much severity, that if 

 any one of them should die in consequence of his disobe- 

 dience, his son loses the right of replacing him. It is, more- 

 over, sold at a much dearer rate than the common fish, and 

 never eaten but when it is perfectly fresh. 



According to Humph the remedy for the accidents caused 

 by the furube, is the administration of a plant which he 

 has named rex amaroris, and which appears to be the 

 ophioxylon serpentinum of Linnaeus. The anisum stellatum 

 (anise) on the contrary, much increases the sub til ty and 



