MANY-SPINED TRYGON. 181 



spines aud two moveable ones, the latter two or 

 three inches in length, which, from their poisonous 

 quality, and their being serrated, inflict a most 

 severe wound, sometimes causing fever, and is 

 very difficult to heal ; they frequent the shallows 

 where there are sand-banks, and persons wading 

 there arc often stung by them; they dig round 

 holes, five or six inches in depth, in which they lay 

 sometimes partly covered w^ith sand. They are 

 good food, and are taken by the hook and with the 

 arrow. This fish is from two to three inches in 

 thickness, whereas some of the others do not mea- 

 sure more than one and a quarter. The eyes are 

 prominent ; breathing holes, five on each side of the 

 mouth; nostrils double, near the mouth; mouth 

 semilunar ; teeth, a file-like process. They feed on 

 animal food, perhaps sometimes on vegetable, as 

 their means of securing the former do not seem 

 adapted for procuring a plentiful supply," 



The letter-press to the Ichthyological plates of 

 D'Orbigny has not yet appeared, so that we are ig- 

 norant of his observations regarding the fish, to 

 which we have temporarily referred Mr. Schom- 

 burgk's drawing. 



