that its poison is one of the most virulent. In the cat which ate 14 gr, it 

 produced violent aymptons ending in death. Small fish of this species (about 

 Table 50 



Page 60 20 cm long) would each be about right for a sei-ving for one person, but 

 if the amount of flesh were around 300 gr, eating one fish would be fatal. 



The Marshallese fear this species and do not eat it. NOTE: Caution is 

 necessary because in outer appearance this fish looks thoroughly edible, and since 

 it is plentiful around atolls, it is easily oaught and the opportunities for ob- 

 taining it are many. 



2. Nokogiridai (Plate 11 Figure 32) 



Scientific name - Gnathodentex aurolineattxB lacepede 



Local name - tunar (Marshallese) 



Distribution - East Indies, South Seas, Hawaii area 



Morphology - Mouth small, eye large, scales small. Since this species also looks 



like an edible fish, care is required. Small, generally around 20-30 cm. 



Toxicity. Only one specimen was tested. A oat which ate 15 gr showed sym- 

 tons of looomotory impairment milder than those caused by the preceding species. 

 This species is thought to fall within the strongly toxic category. NOTE: There 

 is an edible fish called kul by the Marshallese which closely resembles this 

 species ajid may be mistaken for it. It is said to have a short spine on the 

 Tables 51, 52 



Page 61 opercle and the body is slimmer. We were unable to catch one and do not 

 know what fish it is, but note it here anyway. 



Supplementary-Edible Fish of the Family Sparidae and Closely Related Fishes 



1. Mejidai (Plate 11 Figure 30) 



Scientific name - Gyiunocranius microdon (Bleeker) 

 Local name - mejmej (Marshalles'e) 

 Distribution - Celebes area. Inner South Seas 



Characteristics - Body thick, obscure brown line on head running through eye onto 

 cheek. Body silvery, vriLth a faint pinkish tinge. 



NOTE: This species is nonpoisonous . It is taken abundantly at Jaluit and sold 

 for food. The author has eaten it and fovmd it delicious. (See animal experiment 

 table 52, preceding paragraph) 

 Table 53 



2. Urokosagi (Plate 10 Figure 28) 



Scientific name - Gerres baconensis (Evermann & Seale) 

 Local name - lllmek (Marshallese) 

 Distribution - Philippines, Inner South Seas 

 Morphology- Characterized by the long projecting snout. 



Toxicity. We heard of no cases of poisoning ascribed to fishes of this 

 genus. This species is caught and sold as a food fish. An experiment was made 

 for purposes of comparison and the results, as shown in the tables, were negative. 

 Page 62 Tables 54, 55 



38 : 



