844 ANNUAL R EG I S T E R, 1809. 



fowls as they are swimmirig ; it is 

 even said that persons who have 

 been bathing in the rivers, without 

 knowing the nature of this fish, 

 have had their toes, fingers, Ac. 

 bit off by them ; but the Indians do 

 not dread the peri, for they keep 

 themselves in constant motion, 

 whilst bathing, by which they 

 frighten the fisli oft; and keep it at 

 a distance. 



The quc-quce is about ten inches 

 long, with a large round-shaped 

 head ; the whole fish is covered 

 with hard scales of moveable rings, 

 sliding one over the other, like 

 those in the tail of a craw-fish ; the 

 colour is of a brownisli grey, and 

 the fish is said to taste well. 



The fish called the four-eyed 

 fish is near a foot long, covered 

 with a brown skin ; the head has 

 sonrie resemblance to that of a frog. 

 This fish is found in creeks, and 

 thought by many to have really 

 four eyes ; but when minutely ob- 

 served, it is clear that it has only 

 two eyes, but under each is an ad- 

 dition like a part of an eye, which 

 most likely serves this animal as a 

 kind of reflecting mirror, by which 

 it can observe what passes under 

 the water, and thus avoid any un- 

 expected attack, as it generally 

 swims with the head considerably 

 elevated out of the water. It is a 

 very lively fish, and pursues with 

 great vivacity those insects that 

 swim on the surface. 



Uses of Insects in Tropical Cli- 

 mates. rFroiu the samel 



A great number of different spe- 

 cies of insects in the tropics, are 

 in Europe often considered as the 

 worst plague of this cound v : and 



yet upon mature consideration, it 

 will be found that they are highly 

 beneficial in the order of nature 

 to the country where they exist. 

 Tile many decayed trees here would 

 encumber the ground, if it was 

 not for the vast numbers of ants 

 which take immediate possession of 

 them, and in destroying the fibres, 

 soon reduce them to a state of 

 fine garden mould ; an uncivilized 

 Indian, unacquainted with the 

 danger arising from foul and stag- 

 nant air, would fix his habitation 

 on or near marshy grounds wiiii- 

 out any thought, were he not 

 driven from thence by the clouds 

 of musquitoes ; and should he be 

 determined not to quit this place, 

 he is under the necessity of having 

 a large fire all night, to keep his 

 habitation clear of those insects, 

 and at the same time the smoke 

 expels a great deal of the damp 

 air, without his knowing the benefit 

 which he derives from it. To 

 destroy these innumerable swarms 

 of insects, surpasses all human 

 strength and ingenuity ; and even 

 an Hercules must submit to their 

 attacks ; but in proportion as 

 human society shall be extended 

 and cultivation proceed, this evil 

 will also diminish ; and if a house 

 be erected in a healthy situation, 

 and properly constructed, the in- 

 sects will give very little trouble ; 

 but the house where I live, though 

 it is in a pleasant spot, is not well 

 built, it being like most other 

 houses in this place, without a cel- 

 lar, and stands only on brick pillars 

 about two feet high : the conse- 

 quence of which is, that it affords a 

 harbour to many sorts of insects, 

 which in a rainy day, retreat hither 

 from the surrounding trees. For 

 this reason, I keep a piece of mat 



in 



