7 



150 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISTT COMMISSION. 



tlie Antilles tlie Tynnns vuhjityis is ;iIso cousidered cliiiigcrous; and. \n^ 

 tlie Mcditerrauean it is souietinics, but rarely, said to cause indigestion. 

 The same is said also of Gyhlum eavalla. 



In the West Indies the Spliyrcvna hectoui is found. It has a long- 

 stretched body (about 2 feet long), and a pointed head resembling that 

 of the pike, and sharp, lancet-shaped teeth, some of the front ones, 

 both in the upper and lower jaw, being larger than the others. It has 

 two dorsal fins, with a large space between them. Its meat is usually 

 wholesome; but sometimes, when it is presumed to have eaten poison- 

 ous fish, it becomes very hurtful. It is said that the fact of its being 

 poisonous is shown by the teeth being black at the roots. 



The Sphyrccna barracuda is much larger than the Spliyrwna hccuna, 

 and sometimes becomes 15 feet long. It is found on the coast of Brazil, 

 in the Antilles, and the Bahamas ; and is likewise poisonous at certain 

 times. This is the case when the teeth are black, the liver tastes bit- 

 ter, and a black juice oozes out of the flesh when it is cut. In the port 

 of Rio Janeiro several men belonging to a French frigate were danger- 

 ously poisoned in 18G2 by eating a fish which the natives called cayao 

 and which Royde M^ricourt supposes to have been the Spliyrcvna har- 

 racuda. This fish also becomes dangerous by attacking peoi)le while 

 bathing in the sea, and inflicting ugly wounds with its sharp teeth. 



There is some uncertainty as regards the poisonous character of Dio- 

 don attinga, D. Mstrix, J), tigrinus, and Tetrodon ocellatus, T: sceleratusf^ i 

 and T. maculaius; but it may be laid down as a rule that they should not 

 be eaten, as most of them are either poisonous or at any rate unwhole- 

 ( some. They may be recognized by not having any scales, but either 

 large thick spines or short thin pins all over the body. Some of these 

 fish can puff themselves up, and thus float on the water, belly upward. 

 Tliey have a tooth in each jaw, each tooth having a deep furrow run- 

 ning lengthwise, so that it looks as if there were two teeth by the side 

 of each other. Some of these kinds of fish are found near Eio Janeiro, 

 and are considered very dangerous. 



Near the Cape of Good Hope (Simon's Bay), the Tetrodon sceleratus 

 or Geneion maculatum is found, which is frequently very poisonous. 

 It is also called "hoad-fish." 



Among the Scarus family there are several which are poisonous. 

 They are distinguished by their beautiful colors, and are very common 

 in the tropics. Xear Isle de France, in the Antilles, and also in China 

 and Jaiian, several poisonous species of this fish are found. Hornemann 

 states that in the Seychelles there are two kinds, one of which-iis poi- 

 sonous, and may be recognized by having a deejAy indented caudal fin, 

 while that of the harmless kind is hardly indented at all. Xear Isle de 

 France the Scarus vetula is found; in the Antilles (Guadeloupe) the 

 ( Belone caribwa; and in China and Japan a kind of LopMus, resembling^ 

 the Lophius sctigera ; all of which. are iioisonous. 



As regards sharks, which are also occasionally used as food, it may 



