584 SUPPLEMENT ON 



violence of the poison, according to the assurance of Kceuipfer 

 in his Amtenitates. 



The Tetraodon electricus inhabits the midst of the banks 

 of coral excavated by the sea, which surround the Isle of St. 

 John, near that of Amorre, in the Indian Ocean. It was 

 first observed there in 1786, by Lieutenant Wm. Patterson. 

 It is about seven inches long, and possesses, as is indicated 

 by its name, the faculty of communicating smart shocks to 

 those who attempt to seize hold of it. 



In the second family of plectognathi, our notice must be 

 limited to the Balistes. 



The ancients gave the name of balista to an engine of war- 

 fare, which sent forth darts to a great distance, by means of 

 a spring very tightly drawn, and which, when the arrow was 

 discharged, rapidly become straight again. The name has 

 been bestowed by naturalists on this genus of fishes, the 

 species of which have a long spine, inclined upon the back, 

 but which can be thus suddenly elevated at the will of the 

 animal. 



If the balistes have neither the habit nor the means of at- 

 tacking other fishes, they can live and travel with the utmost 

 security in the bosom of the waters, for nature has bestowed 

 upon them, as offensive weapons, very sharp spines, disposed 

 on various parts of the body and the head, accordingly, the 

 voracious fishes dare not attempt to swallow them. Their 

 powerful teeth, of which the anterior two may be compared 

 to incisors, enable the balistes to break the envelope of the 

 Crustacea and testacea, on which, on mollusca generally, and 

 on marine worms, they principally feed. 



It has been asserted that the balistes were ill-flavoured 

 fish, and that their flesh is sometimes poisonous, or at least 

 extremely deleterious. It is probable, however, that if they 

 really possess any hurtful quality, it is to be found in the 



