HISTORY OF MEXICO. B7 



The Occhione (u), is a flat, round fifli of eight or ten 

 inches diameter. The underpart of the body is perfe£lly 

 flat, but the upper is convex ; and in the center, which 

 is the higheft part, it has a fingle eye as large as that of 

 an ox, and furnifhed with its necefl^ary eye-lids. The 

 eye remains open even after it is dead, which fometimes 

 creates a degree of horror to a fpe^lator (^). 



The Iztacmichin^ or white filh, has always been in 

 great repute in Mexico, and is now as common at the 

 Spanilh tables as it ufed to be anciently at thofe of the 

 Mexicans. There are three or four fpecies. The Ami- 

 lotl^ which is the largeft and the mod efteemed, is more 

 than a foot in length, and has two fins upon the back, 

 two at the fides, and one under the belly. The Xalmi- 

 chin feems to be of the fame kind with the former, but 

 not quite fo large. The Jacapitzahuac^ which is the 

 fmallefl kind, is not more than eight inches long, and 

 one inch and a half broad. All thefe kinds have fcales, 

 arc a very delicate and wholefome food, and are to be 

 found in great plenty in the lakes of Chalco, Pazcuaro, 

 and Chapalla. The fourth kind is the Xalmichin of 

 Quauhnahuac, which has no fcales, but is covered with 

 a tender white lldn. 



The Axolotl or Axolote ( j), is a great water-lizard of 



the 



(k) This fifli, which is only found in California, either has no name, or we at 

 liaft, are not acquainted with it ; for which reafon we have given it one, we 

 think, fufficiently applicahle, namely, that of Occhione. 



(jff) Campoi was perfuaded that the Occhione is the Uranofcoposy or Callionymos 

 of Pliny : but Pliny has not left any defcription of that fifh. The name of 

 Uranofcopot, which was the only foundation of Campoi's opinion, is equally ap- 

 plicable to all thofe fifli which, having eyes upon the head, look upwards to the 

 iky, fuch as ikates, and other flat fifli. 



( -y) Mr. Bomare could not light upon the name of this fifh. He calls it 

 Azalotly Axo/otl, Azolotiy and Axoloti ; and fays that the Spaniards call it y^guete 

 del' agiia : yet the Mexicans call it Axohtl^ and the Spaniards give it no other 

 name but the Axolote. 



