124 sphyrjExa barracuda. 



phate of zinc, in the do9e of one scruple or half a drachm, which 

 may be repeated at proper intervals, and the vomiting encouraged 

 by copious draughts of mild diluent liquors. In some cases purga- 

 tives may be given with advantage. If, however, severe vomiting 

 or diarrhsea take place spontaneously it may sometimes be advisa- 

 ble to check it by opium. In order to counteract the deleterious 

 effects that arise from fish-poison, wine, spirituous liquors, capsi- 

 cum, and other powerful stimulants have been recommended. The 

 muriate of soda, alkaline salts, lime-juice, and some other substances 

 have also been employed as antidotes ; but sugar, in the form of 

 simple syrup, appears to be the only remedy deserving of credit. 

 The surest criterion hitherto discovered for detecting the poison 

 is to give a portion of the liver or entrails to some inferior animal, 

 such as a dog, a cat, or a duck, and to ascertain its effect on them 

 before'making use of the fish. 



XXI. 

 SPHYILENA BARRACUDA. 



The Barracuda, or Barracuda Pike. 



Order Abdominales Acanthopterygii, Lin. Family 

 Percoides, Cuv. 



Gen. Char. Body elongated ; snout pointed ; jaws 

 much cleft ; under jaw longest, with a row of conical 

 teeth, of which the two anterior are largest ; intermax- 

 iUaries with two strong teeth before, followed by a row 

 of smaller ones, and a row of strong ones on each 

 ♦palate bone ; cheeks and operculi scaly. 



Spec. Char. Body deep blue above ; sides brownish ; 

 abdomen silvery white ; tail forked. 



Barracuda; Catesby, Carol, ii. f. 1. Esox barracuda; Shaw, Zool. v. p. 105. 

 Sphyrcnc barracuda; Cur. Tlist. Nat. dcs Poisr. iii. p, <?53, t.66. 



