of the Ifthmus of America. 341 



ther it be from fome particular Feed they have there, 

 or from what other Caufe, I know not ^ but I have 

 known feveral Men poifon'd with them, to that De- 

 gree as to have their Hair and Nails come off; and 

 fome have died with eating them. The Antidote 

 for this is faid to be the Back-bone of the Fifh, dri- 

 ed and beaten to a Powder, and given in any Liquor, 

 I can't vouch for the Succefs of this my felf \ but 

 feveral have told me, that they have us'd it their - 

 felves, when they have found themfelves fick with 

 eating any Paracood\ but that upon taking the 

 Bone thus powder'd, they have found no other 

 ill Effe6t, but only a Nummednefs in their Limbr, 

 and a Weaknefs for fome Time after. Some will 

 pretend to diftinguifih a poifonous Paracood from a 

 wholefome one, by the Liver ; which as foon as 

 they have taken the Fifh, they pull out and tafte. 

 If it tafte fweet, they drefs and eat the Fifh without 

 any Fear but if the Liver be bitter, or bite the 

 Tongue like Pepper, they conclude the Fifh to be 

 naught, and throw it away. 



There is another Sort of Fifh on the North-Sea Gar-fiih. 

 Coaft, which our Seamen call Gar- fifh ; fome of 

 them are near 2 Foot long. They have a long 

 Bone on the Snout, of about a third Part the 

 Length of the Body ; and 'tis very fharp at the 

 End. They will glide along the Surface of the 

 Water as fwift as a Swallow, gliding thus on the 

 Surface, and leaping out of the Water alternately, 

 30 or 40 Times together. They move with fuch a 

 Force, that as I have been informed, they will run 

 their Snout through the Side of a Canoa ; and 'tis 

 dangerous for a Man who is Swimming to meet 

 with them, left they ftrike through him. The Back- 

 bone looks blueifh, of a Colour towards a Saphire, 

 The Flefh is very good Meat, 



There 



