82 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



If from the land we now turn our eyes to the rivers, 

 lakes, and feas of Anahuac, we fliall find in them a much 

 greater variety of creatures. Even the known fpecies 

 of their fifli are innumerable ; for of thofe only which 

 ferve for the nouriftiment of man, I have counted up- 

 wards of a hundred fpecies, without reckoning the tur- 

 tle, crab, lobfler, or any other teftaceous or cruftaceous 

 animal. Of the fifti, fome are common to both the feas ; 

 fome are peculiar to the Mexican gulf alone, others to 

 the Pacific Ocean ; and fome are to be found only in 

 the lakes and rivers. 



The fifti common to both the feas are whales, dol- 

 phins, fword-fifli, faw-fifli, tiburones, manatis, mantas, 

 porpoifes, bonitas, cod, mullets, thornbacks, barbels, 

 flying-fifli, fliad, lobflers, foles, and a great many others, 

 together with feveral fpecies of tortoifes, polypus, crabs, 

 fpunges, &c. 



The Mexican gulf, befides thofe already mentioned, 

 affords flurgeons, pike, congers, turbot, lampreys, cut- 

 tle-fi(h, anchovies, carp, eels, nautilufes, &c. 



In the Pacific ocean, befides thofe common to the two 

 feas, there are falmons, tunnies, fea-fcorpions, herrings, 

 and others. 



In the lakes and rivers, are three or four kinds of 

 white fifti, carp, mullet, trout, barbels, eels, and many 

 others. 



As the particular defcription of thefe Mi would be 

 foreign to the objed of our hiftory, and of little ufe to 

 the European reader, we fliali only take notice of a few 

 of the more remarkable circumftances with refpe£t to 

 them. 



The Tiburon belongs to that clafs of fea-animals called 

 by the ancients Caniculcs. Its great voracity, its fize, 



ftrength, 



