SEA-PIKES. 71 



The Barracoota of the West Indies {Sphyrcena 

 barracuda, Cuv.), is reckoned among the number 

 of marine monsters greedy of human flesh. It is 

 common in the seas that wash those lovely tropi- 

 cal islands, where it attains the length of ten or 

 twelve feet, though it is more generally met with 

 about half that size. The thickness is not in pro- 



BARRACOOTA. 



portion to the length. The mouth is wide, the 

 lower jaw projects beyond the upper, and is armed 

 with formidable teeth, with two larger pointed 

 canines in front ; the upper jaw has many large 

 and strong teeth scattered among minute ones. 

 The two dorsals are placed far apart, the first im- 

 mediately above the ventrals, the second above 

 the anal. The formula of the fin-rays is as 

 follows: D. 5; 1—9; C. 19; P. 12; V. 1—5; 

 A. 1-— 9. The tail is much forked. The upper 

 parts are dark greyish brown, becoming paler 

 on the sides, the belly white. It is covered 

 with small thin scales. 



This formidable and voracious fish is much 

 dreaded in the seas w^hich it inhabits. It not un- 

 frequently attacks and devours men while bathing; 

 Dutertre affirms that it is even more dangerous 

 than the dreadful shark, inasmuch as noise and 

 motion, so far from intimidating it, only excite it 



