CLEVER FISHES. 533 



when their size and apparent capability are taken into consideration, that 

 their feats of destructiveness are little short of the marvellous. Stand 

 lorth, then, " pirai " of the Carib, " black, saw-bellied salmon " (Serra 

 salmo niger) of Schomburgk ; so called, doubtless, from the possession 

 of the peculiar adipose fin, common only to the salmon tribe, though in 

 no other respect does it resemble a salmon, there being positive struct- 

 ural differences between the species. Let us take the portrait of this 

 fish. Doubtless the reader figures to himself a fish of " a lean and 

 hungry look," a very Cassius of a fish, with the lantern-jaws of a 

 pike. But, in fact, the pirai is somewhat aldermanic and like a bream 

 in figure, with a fighting-looking kind of nose, and a wondrously ex- 

 pressive eye cold, cruel, and insatiable, and like to that of an old Jew 

 bill-discounter when scrutinizing doubtful paper. There is 70 or 80 

 per cent, in that eye at the very least, and ruin to widows and orphans 

 unnumbered if they come in its way. If it were a human eye, the 

 owner would be bound sooner or later to figure at Execution Dock. 

 The jaw is square, powerful, and locked into a very large head for the 

 size of the fish ; and that is a fat, plump head too, but radiated over 

 with strong bone and gristle. The teeth ah ! they would condemn 

 him anywhere, for here is a fish 16 inches long, with the teeth almost 

 of a shark. Schomburgk speaks thus of its destructive power : 



This voracious fish is found plentifully in all the rivers in Guiana, and is 

 dreaded by every other inhabitant or visitant of the river. Their jaws are so 

 strong that they are able to bite off" a man's finger or toe. Tbey attack fisb of 

 ten times their own weight, and devour all but the bead. They begin with the 

 tail, and the fisb, being left without the chief organ of motion, is devoured with 

 ease, several going to participate of the meal. Indeed, there is scarcely any 

 animal which it will not attack, man not excepted. Large alligators which 

 have been wounded on the tail afford a fair chance of satisfying tbeir hunger, 

 and even the toes of this formidable animal are not free from their attacks. 

 The feet of ducks and geese, where they are kept, are almost invariably cut off, 

 and young ones devoured altogether. In these places it is not safe to lathe, or 

 even to wash clothes, many cases having occurred of fingers and toes being cut 

 off by them. 



Schomburgk then relates astonishing instances of their voracity, 

 in which the toes of the river Cavia are eaten off: a larsxe sun-fish de- 

 voured alive ; ducks and geese deprived of their feet, and walking on 

 the stumps. Of course, the lines which are used to capture them have 

 to be armed with metal, to prevent their being cut through. Their 

 voracity is marvellous, and any bait will attract them the instant it is 

 thrown into the water. Precaution is necessary, however, when the 

 fish is lifted-out of the water, or it will inflict serious wounds in its 

 struggles. The fisherman, therefore, has a small bludgeon ready, with 

 which he breaks their skulls as soon as they are caught. 



Thus there are fish which shoot their prey, which fish for it, which 

 course it and hunt it, in various ways. There are others which employ 



