FRESH- WATER FISHES. 391 



\{Synbranchus). Besides the above, there are the common eel 

 (Anguilla) and the Coscorob, very common in ponds and rivers, 

 the cats [Callichthys ?). I have also been told that a trout is not 

 scarce in our mountain streams ; this fact I have not been able 

 to ascertain. 



Except the pcecilias and cats, together with a very small cal- 

 lichthys, all our fresh-water fishes are used as food. The river 

 pike attains about eight inches, is met with in clear limpid water, 

 and is generally caught with the hook. The cutlass fish — about 

 twelve inches in length — inhabits muddy ravines, and is caught 

 in nets, or, during the dry seasons, in isolated pools formed by 

 the partial drying up of ravines ; it is indifferent eating. The 

 barbe is generally taken in nets, but also with the hook — it is a 

 good fish ; also the Anne-Marie, about eight inches long, and 

 scaly, very common in clear streams. The sardines are of small 

 size, resembling the European sardine in form, but more com- 

 pressed ; the smaller sized is so familiar, as sometimes to attack 

 the legs of persons standing in the water, or bathing ; they are 

 found in the clear and shallow streams of our valleys, and are 

 generally caught by means of cast-nets; for which purpose a 

 handful of manioc-meal is thrown into the water, and the 

 sardines rush in shoals to the bait. The guabine is the largest of 

 our fresh-water fishes, measuring from twelve to twenty inches 

 in length ; it is very voracious, and bites severely. As already 

 stated, the guabine is found in rivers and deep ponds, particularly 

 in the Bejucal, and other ponds in the neighbourhood of Caroni, 

 and the Cocal. It seems that the spawning season is about the 

 month of July ; they then creep into all the small rills of water 

 which have a communication with the ravines and rivers, and are 

 easily caught. They nibble at the hook, or are caught m fish- 

 pots ; the latter are long, conical net or basket works, made of 

 roseau or bamboo, which are let down into the centre of the 

 current of some stream, a regular dam being otherwise formed 

 across, by which the fish are forced, in their passage down the 

 stream, into the only opening afforded by the entrance of the 

 pot ; and having once entered, egress is impossible. The yarrao 

 resembles the guabine in form, but is smaller in size. The dog- 

 ; headed eel is caught in nets, in which it entangles itself in pursuit 

 i of other fish ; for the guabine is, perhaps, the only adversary it 

 ; does not overcome : it attains from three to four feet. The bait 



