CHAPTER XXIII 



NOTES ON THE PERAI FISH 



NAMES ,. 



Systematic: Pygocentrus niger (Schomburgk). 

 English: Cannibal Fish, Carib Fish. 

 British Guiana, Colonial: Perai. 



Portugese : Piranha. 



. 



The great family of Characins composes a large pro- 

 portion of the fresh-water fishes of South America and, in 

 British Guiana alone according to Eigenmann, more than 

 half. The Characinidae are divided into many subfamilies 

 of varying habits, the members of which range in size from 

 the most minute of the Hemigrammi to the large "pacu" of 

 the rapids arid the great "aimara" of the inland creeks. The 

 subfamily Serrasalmo, to which belong the perai, is composed 

 of three genera, Pygocentrus, Serrasalmo and Pygopristis, 

 including, in all, eight known species of the Guianas, though, 

 doubtless, many others still remain to be discovered. Very 

 little appears to be known of them beyond the fact that they 

 exist, are ferocious, and, in the case of the perai, are exceed- 

 ingly dangerous to whatever living beast crosses their path. 



". . . . the piranha is a short, deep-bodied fish, with a 

 blunt face and a heavily undershot or projecting jaw which 

 gapes widely. The razor-edged teeth are wedge-shaped like 

 a shark's, and the jaw muscles possess great power. The 

 rabid, furious snaps drive the teeth through flesh and bone. 

 The head with its short muzzle, staring malignant eyes, and 

 gaping, cruelly armed jaws, is the embodiment of evil fero- 

 city; and the actions of the fish exactly match its looks." 



Never found nearer to the coast than twenty miles, 

 where the last defiling taint of salt water merges into the 



