No. 627] STUDIES IN ECHENEIS OR EEMORA 301 



map of Cuba, showing the islands off the southern coast 

 among some of which the fishing, with the Guiacan was 

 observed. This seems to be of enough interest to be re- 

 produced herein as text-figure 3. 



In 1553, Gomara published at Medina del Campo his 

 "Historia General de las Indias." On folio XIIII is 

 found an abbreviated copy of Oviedo's account of the 

 Eeversus fish, but as it contains nothing new it need not 

 detain us. 



The greatest of the encyclopedic wi'iters on natural 

 history in the Eenaissance times was tlu^ Swiss, Kcmrad 

 GesneV, who was too -o.xl a senivher for tlic mnrwllous 

 to let such a story a- thi- rv,-;ii>c him. 1 1 i- account iMoS) 



of Peter Martyr. 1 1..x\v\ rr, he give, us a tiuurc of a 

 hunting scene, sliowing how tliis fisherman-fish was used, 

 and this is reproduced herein as Fig. 4, Plate 1. The 

 Beversus fish is shaped like an eel and has a irrejit l)ag or 

 pouch attached on tlie l)ack of its neck. Tliis pouch has 

 .just been thrown owv hmd nf what apncni- t<. be a 

 seal (pro])ably meaiil t.«ra manatee), while a turth' h)oks 

 on in amazement from one si(h\ In the hackgronnd in this 



