THE AGRICULTURAL PESTS OF INDIA. 55 



Thynmis vulgaris, Ouv., after its flesh has begun to change, 

 is well known. In Europe the barbel is very injurious at 

 the period of reproduction. The most dangerous species 

 belong to the genera Meletta, Sphyrrcna, Caranx, Scar us, 

 and Diodon. Most of the so-termed poisonous fishes are 

 only so at times ; that is to say, when they have fed 

 upon certain animals, at the period of reproduction, or 

 under certain other peculiar circumstances. Such are 

 the file fish, the conger eel, the mackerel, and the 

 herring. 



The natives of India attribute poisonous qualities to 

 the Batrachus grunniens, rejecting them even as manure. 



Meletta venenosa. During Mr. Lewis' residence at 

 Bencoolen in 1822, great numbers of what were supposed 

 to be Clupeonia perforata presented the unusual appear- 

 ance of having red eyes. Many natives, after having 

 eaten these fishes, were suddenly attacked with violent 

 vomiting, which, in cases where remedies were not 

 immediately applied, was known within an hour to 

 terminate fatally. At the same time, such of these fishes 

 with the ordinary silvery eyes were as formerly eaten 

 with impunity. 



This phenomenon recurred at Bencoolen during the 

 seasons of 1823 and 1825, but not of 1824. It was 

 surmised that the poisonous fishes had fed on a gelatinous 

 substance which at that season exudes from the beauti- 

 fully coloured coral reefs on that part of the coast of 

 Sumatra. It is, however, more probable that the 

 poisonous fishes were shoals of Meletta venenosa, an 

 inhabitant of the Seychelles and the neighbouring seas, 

 which happened in those seasons to visit Sumatra. M. 

 Valenciennes describes this fish as being poisonous, and 

 producing effects as noted above. (Dr. Cantor, p. 295.) 



