72 ON THE POISONOUS FISHES 



sea, ever poisonous, or more remarkably ^o than the other 

 species offish that prey abroad throughout the waters? 



" 12. The poison of the yellow-billed sprat has been found 

 particularly deadly in the month of May, at the time when, 

 according to the vulgar saying of fishermen, coral is in blos- 

 som. Can it be ascertained, what is the food of these fish at 

 that time ? What particular species of marine insects abound, 

 and sea plants flourish, at that period, in the places where he 

 inhabits ?" 



N. B. It is said that the yellow-billed sprat can be eaten 

 with impunity at all seasons, when taken in the road of 

 Basseterre, Guadaloupe. 



" 13. Do not all the larger fishes that are found to be poi- 

 sonous, prey upon the yellow-billed sprat, in common with 

 any other kind of smaller fish they can master ? May not the 

 larger fishes, that prey directly upon the yellow-billed sprats, 

 thereby acquire a highly poisonous quality, or one of less in- 

 tensity, by preying at a farther remove on those fishes that 

 have done so ; or is this disproved, by the fact of the larger 

 fishes of some species only being poisonous, while the smaller 

 of the same kind, that may be supposed to prey more imme- 

 diately on the yellow-billed sprat, can be eaten with impu- 

 nity ?" 



N. B. The poisonous quality of the Baracoota is in no re- 

 spect modified by his size. 



" 14. Fish of the larger kinds are never poisonous at Bar- 

 badoes, and some other places. Is the yellow-billed sprat 

 found on these coasts ? 



" 15. Is any credit due to the common opinion, that fish 

 are rendered poisonous by eating the gaily fish or stinging 



blubbers ?" 



N. B. 



