524 HISTORY OF 



Of these scarcely one is without its peculiar weapon of of- 

 fence. The ceiitriscus wounds with its spine ; the ostracion 

 poisons with its venom ; the orb is impregnable, and is absolute- 

 ly poisonous if eaten. Indeed, their figure is not such as would 

 tempt one to make the experiment ; and the natives of those 

 countries where they are found, are careful to inform foreigners 

 of their danger : yet a certain sailor at the Cape of Good Hope, 

 not believing what the Dutch told him concerning their venom, 

 was resolved to make the experiment, and break through a pre- 

 judice, which, he supposed, was founded on the animal's deform- 

 ity. He tried, and ate one ; but his rashness cost him his life ; 

 he instantly fell sick, and died a few days after. 



These frightful animals are of different sizes; some not bigger 

 than a foot-ball, and others as large as a bushel. They almost 

 all flatten and erect their spines at pleasure, and increase the 

 terrors of their appearance in proportion to the approach of dan- 

 ger. At first they seem more inoffensive ; their body oblong, 

 with all their weapons pointing towards the tail ; buc, upon be- 

 ing provoked or alarmed, the body, that before seemed small, 

 swells to the view ; the animal visibly grows rounder and larger, 

 and all its prickles stand upright, and threaten the invader on 

 every side. The Americans often amuse themselves with the 

 barren pleasure of catching these frightful creatures by a line 

 and hook, baited with a piece of sea- crab. The animal ap- 

 proaches the bait with its spines flattened ; but when hooked 

 and stopped by the line, straight all its spines are erected ; the 

 whole body being armed in such a manner at all points, that it is 



row snout ; Us mouth is toothless, with the lower jaw longer than the up- 

 per one. The gill -openings are wide ; its body is compressed, with the ab- 

 domen carinated; and the ventral fins united. 



The Scaly Centriseus or Bellows Fish is a native of the Mediterranean sea, 

 and grows to the length of five or six inches : it feeds ou worms, and the 

 smaller kinds of marine insects. 



The Telescope Fish.— The whole body of this fish, and the ground colour 

 of the fins, is of a beautiful red, darlier towards the baik, and lighter towards 

 the belly : the membranes of the fins are almost white; and the red rays 

 shining through them have a very fine effect ; the three white points of the 

 tail give you an idea of a trident or tulip. The head is short, but large ; 

 the month is small ; the nostrils single. The pupil of the eye is black, the 

 iris yellow ; the back is round ; the lateral line nearer the back than the 

 head. The scales on the belly are large ; the rays of the fins are ramified. 

 This beautiful fish is found in the fresh M-aters of China, and is supposed 

 be a variety of the gold fish. 



