CHAPTER VIII 



POISONOUS FISHES OF THE WEST INDIES 



AN extended inquiry into this class of fishes was 

 -^-recently made by Mr. C. Tate Regan, the re- 

 sults of which were given in an official report to 

 the British Museum. The report covers not only 

 the waters of the Bahamas and the Bermudas, but 

 the whole of the West Indies. I have taken the 

 liberty of using that portion of it which I believe 

 will prove of interest and value to those contem- 

 plating a sojourn in that quarter. He says : 



"The fishes known as poisonous are the follow- 

 ing : Barracuda, cavally, jack, yellow-billed sprat 

 (Clupeathrissa), goatfish, grouper, Tetrodon, 

 Diedon, Scarus. 



"Below I take them in this order and make 

 some remarks as to what is known as to their 

 poisonous nature. I follow this with some general 

 remarks and with some recommendations. 



"Barracuda or barracouta is a generic term for 

 fishes of the genus Sphyr&na, of which there are 

 three species in West Indian waters. The largest 

 of these species (Sphyrsena barracuda or picuda) 



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