526 HiSTORy OF fishes. 



more. It is perpetually seen floating ; and no efforts that are 

 used to hurt it can sink it to the bottom. All that appears above 

 water is a bladder clear and transparent as glass, and shining 

 with the most beautiful colours of the rainbow. Beneath, in 

 the water, are four of the feet already mentioned, that serve as 

 oars, while the other four are expanded above to sail with. But 

 what is most remarkable in this extraordinary creature, is the 

 violent pungency of the slimy substance with which its legs are 

 smeared. If the smallest quantity but touch the skin, so caustic 

 is its quality, that it burns it like hot oil dropped on the part 

 affected. The pain is worst in the heat of the day, but ceases 

 in the cool of the evening. It is from feeding on these that he 

 thinks the poisonous quality contracted by some West Indian 

 fish may be accounted for. It is certain these animals are ex- 

 tremely common along all the coasts in the Gulf of Mexico ; and 

 whenever the shore is covered with them in an unusual manner, 

 it is considered as a certain forerunner of a storm. 



