M. A. Dunieril on Venomous Fishes. 157 



laris, Linn.), these, after rapidly undergoing the destructive in- 

 fluences of the plant, were eaten without ill effect, and the 

 natives even drank the waters of the lake with impunity*. 



V. 



Among the causes of the unwholesomeness of certain species 

 we should perhaps mention, as exercising some influence on 

 their qualities, the age and, by consequence, the size of the fish; 

 for the most venomous may generally be submitted to culinary 

 preparation while they are still young. The accuracy of this 

 statement, which might seem somewhat singular, is attested by 

 the fact that, at Havana, it is not forbidden to expose for sale 

 in the market the Caranx fallax, Cuv. & Val., unless it weighs 

 more than one kilogramme. In the island of Trinidad, as Dr. J. 

 Court, who practised medicine there for some time, informs me, 

 the Becuna or Sphyi'ana may be eaten with impunity if still of 

 small size. He adds that the same rule applies to all the fishes 

 held to be venomous : when they have not attained their full 

 dimensions, there is nothing to dread from using them as food. 

 The natives of Hayti hold the same opinion with respect to a 

 Sen-anus {S. rupestris, Cuv. & Val.), there commonly called 

 ' Grande gueule,' and designated also by the English nauie of 

 Rock-fish. This fish may attain a length of 0°^*80 ; but when 



* M. Mouchon, junr. (Journal de Med. prat, de Bordeaux, 2" ser. 1840, 

 t. xii. p. 152) gives two lists of plants which are known to be employed as 

 such auxiliaries in the capture of fishes. These lists have been re})roduced 

 by MM. A. Chevallier and Duchesne (Mem. sur les Empoisonnements par 

 les Huitres . . . et par certains Poissons, p. 5.9 ; Ann. d'Hyg. et Med. Leg., 

 1851, t. xlv.):— 



I. Plants that are baneful in effect upon the human species, particularly 

 if the precaution be not taken of well clearnig and scraping the fish be- 

 fore preparing it for food: — 1. CoccmZm* SM^erosMS, DeCand., Coque du 

 Levant : the fruits. 2. Delphinium, staphisagria, Linn. : the seeds. 3. D. 

 Reguienii, DeCand. : the seeds. 4. Hydnocarpus inebrians, Vahl : the 

 fruit. 5. Menispermum lacunosu,ii, Lamarck : the fruit. 6. Taxus bac- 

 cata, Linn. : the leaves. 7- Veratrum sabadilla, Retzius : the capsules. 



IL Plants that are not hurtful to man : — 1. Barringtonia speciosa, Rum- 

 phius, Butonica speciosa, Lam. : the almonds eaten by the Chinese sailors 

 under the name of " square caps." 2. Calophyllum inophyllum. Lam. : 

 affords the " Calaba" balm used for poisoning fishes. 3. Cerbera ahouai. 

 Lam. : the wood. 4. Daphne fcetida, Lam. : the seeds. 5. Euphorbia 

 cotinifolia, Linn. : the entire plant. 6. Galega sericea, Thunb. : the root. 

 7. G. toxicaria, Sw. : the leaves. 8. Lepidium piscidimn, Forster : the 

 leaves and the seeds. 9. Paullinia pinnata, Linn. : the seeds. 10. P. tri- 

 ternata, Linn., Serjania lethalis, St. Hil., " Liane a persil," " Timbo " of 

 Brazil: the leaves. 11. Phyllanfhus brasiliensis, Lam., P. conami. Wild., 

 Poison-wood : the twigs with leaves and the roots bruised. 12. P. virosus, 

 Roxburgh : the shoots and leaves pounded. 13. Piscidia carthaginensis, 

 Linn.: twigs and foliage crushed together. 14. Potalia amara, Aublet : 

 ^.he stems and leaves. 15. Robinia nicou, Aubl., or R. scandens, Wilden. 



