HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



85 



gure more nearly refembling a real fword ; and is not 

 placed in the fame manner with that of the Greenland 

 fifh upon the hinder part, but upon the fore part of the 

 body, like the faw-fi(h. It moves this fword at pleafure, 

 with great force, and employs it as an ofFenfive weapon. 



Of the two fpecies of faw-fifti to be found in thofe 

 feas, the one is that common one known to Pliny, and 

 defcribed by fo many naturalids. The other, which is 

 about a foot in length, has a row of teeth or prickles 

 like a faw, upon its back, which has obtained it the 

 name of Tlateconi^ from the Mexicans, and from the 

 Spaniards that of Sierra* 



The Roballo is one of the mod numerous fpecies, and 

 affords the mofl delicate food, efpecially the kind pecu- 

 liar to rivers. Hernandez took this filh to be the fame 

 with the Luptis of the ancients, and Campoi imagined it 

 to be the Afellus Minor ; but this muft have been alto- 

 gether conjecture, for the defcriptions of thofe fifh left us 

 by the ancients are fo imperfeCl, that it is impoffible to 

 afcertain their identity. 



The Gobbo (called by the Spaniards Corcoboda\ was 

 fo called from a rifmg or prominence reaching from the 

 neck to the mouth, which latter part is exceedingly 

 fmall. The Sfirena had likewife the name of Picuda 

 (which we might tranflate long-fnout), from the lower 

 jaw being longer than the upper. 



The Rofpo is a very difagreeable fifli to look at ; of 

 a perfedly round fliape, three or four inches in diame- 

 ter, and without fcales. It affords a pleafant wholefome 

 food. 



Among the eels there is one called Huitzitzihnichin by 

 the Mexicans, which is about three feet long and very 

 llender. Its body is covered with a fort of fmall plates, 



inftead 



