225 



BLACK SAW-BELLIED SALMON. 



Serrasalrao niger. 



PLATE XVIIL 



Arawaak, Hutna ; Carib, Pirai ; Macusi, Aral ; L. Geral, 

 Piranha (meaning Sharp Fish). Schomb. Drawings^ No. 4. 



" This most voracious fish is found plentifully in 

 all the rivers in Guiana, and is dreaded by every 

 other inhabitant or visitant of the river. Their jaws 

 are so strong that they are able to bite off a man's 

 finger or toe. They attack fish of ten times their 

 o\vn weight, and devour all but the head- They 

 begin at the caudal fin ; and the fish being thus left 

 without the principal organ of motion, is devoured 

 with ease, several going to participate of the meal. 

 Indeed, there is scarcely any animal which they 

 will not attack, man not excepted. Large alligators, 

 which have been wounded on the tail, afford them 

 a fine chance of satisfying their hunger, and even 

 the toes of this formidable animal are not free from 

 their attacks. The feet of ducks and geese, which 

 are kept in the neighbourhood where they are 

 plentiful, are almost invariably cut off, and young 



p 



