Sphyrcena barracuda; its Morphology, Habits, and History. 85 



Dampier (1729), in his ''Second Voyage to Campeachy," thus speaks 

 of the edibility of the barracuda: 



"They are firm well-tasted Fish; but 'tis dangerous eating them, for some 

 Men have been poisoned with them. Divers Persons are of the Opinion that 

 these Creatures are poysonous in some Places only, and that but at some Times 

 of the Year. I know that in many parts of the West-Indies, some have been 

 injured by eating them, and that at different Seasons of the Year; therefore 

 Seamen commonly taste the Liver before they venture any further; and if 

 that has a biting Taste like Pepper, they esteem the Fish unwholesome, but 

 if not they eat it : and yet I found even this Rule to fail too. I judge the Head 

 and the Parts near it, to be chiefly venemous." 



Labat (1742) discourses at length upon the edibility of the barra- 

 cuda, whose flesh he says is white, firm, rather oily, and almost of the 

 same taste as that of the pike, but at times is poisonous. He offers a 

 very interesting explanation: 



"As it is extremely voracious, it eats greedily everything which it finds 

 within and on the water, it happens very often that it encounters Galeres 

 [sea-nettles, medusae, "Portuguese Men of War"] or the fruit of the man- 

 chineel, both of which are very violent and caustic poisons. The Becune 

 does not die because it has eaten them, but its flesh contracts the poison and 

 causes death in those who eat it just as if they had eaten the dangerous fruit 

 or the Galeres." 



To tell whether the flesh is good or dangerous, Labat would inspect 

 the teeth. If they are black it is dangerous ; if some are white and some 

 black, then taste the liver. If it is bitter, reject the fish. 



Catesby (1754) writing of the Bahama barracuda gives some details 

 not found in any earlier writer. He evidently wrote of large specimens, 

 for he says : 



"The flesh has a very rank and disagreeable favour [flavour?] both to the 

 nose and palate, and is frequently poisonous, causing great sickness, vomiting, 

 and intolerable pains in the head, with loss of hair and nails; yet the hungry 

 Bahamians frequently repast on their unwholesome carcasses." 



Fermin (1769) says that the becune has firm, white flesh, somewhat 

 oily, but of very good taste. However, it is not to be eaten save after 

 taking the precautions noted above. He explains the poisonous prop- 

 erties of its flesh by its voracious feeding habits, especially by its 

 feeding on the manchineel. 



In 1808 a Dr. Chisholm published an article on the poison of fish. 

 His observations were made while a resident of the island of Grenada, 

 where he appears to have practiced medicine. He knew of and prob- 

 ably treated cases of poisoning resulting from eating the barracuda. 

 He says that the fishermen account for this poison by alleging that the 

 fish are poisonous only at the spawning season when they repair to 

 and feed upon "sea-moss" [which Chisholm identifies as Corallina 

 opuntia]. This poisons them and they in turn poison those who eat 



