SOUTHERN AFRICA, 31 
each eye, and two on the cover of the gills, is not a bad fifh ; 
nor is the common Sole inferior here to that in Europe. Dol- 
phins are fometimes caught in the bay after a gale of wind. 
That fingular fpecies of Ray fifh, the eledtrical torpedo, is well 
known to the fifhermen by the frequent ftrokes they receive 
from treading on the fmall young ones that are often thrown 
upon the beach in the winter feafon. Another fpecies is ufed 
for the table and eaten by the Englifh under the name of Skate. 
There is alfo in fome of the rivers of the country an electrical 
Silurus^ but it is not eaten ; and the Bagre^ a fecond fpecies of 
S'llurus^ commonly caught in the bay, is confidered as poifon- 
ous*. A fpecies of bray-fifh and different forts of crabs are 
plentiful and tolerably good. Mufcles of various kinds, and 
oyflers, abound on the fea-coaft ; the former of a high, ftrong 
flavour, but the latter fully as good as thofe of Europe ; they 
are, however, not to be procured in quantities near the Cape» 
A fpecies of AJlerias or Star-fifh, and the paper Nautihs^ are 
fometimes fent from hence to Europe to be placed in the 
cabinets of the curious ; as is alfo that fingular little animal 
called by naturalifls the Syngnathus Hippocampus^ and fometimes 
fea-horfe. 
Few fhells or marine productions are met with on this part 
of the coaft of Africa that would be confidered as rare by the 
naturalifl. Small corallines, madrepores, fponges, and other 
produdions of marine animals, are frequently thrown up on 
* The Scorpoena Cupenfis, called here Jacob Evert/on, is a firm, dry fiH-i, but 
not very commonly ufed. 
the 
\ 
