CINEREOUS GUAPERVA. 
Thec inereous Guaperva appears to be one 
of the rarest species of this curious and beau- 
tiful famii)^ of fishes. Such, indeed, is it's 
scarcity, that none of the most celebrated 
Ichthyologists appear to haye been in the 
smallest degree acquainted with it. 
The Guapervas, in general, have escaped 
the notice of most naturalists ; and few of 
those writers, who have mentioned them, af- 
ford us any satisfa6tory information. By 
some, they are said to consist of six species ; 
and, by others, of twelve. This, it is true^ 
may be occasioned by subsequent discoveries ; 
but there are other variances not -so easy to be 
accounted for. They have even been ail charac- 
terised as having jaws formed like the bill of a 
Woodcock. The truth evidently is, that our 
! knowledge of those difR^rent fishes which have 
obtained this name, is very slight and imper- 
fe6t ; and that, by vain endeavours to arrange 
and describe them, much confudon has ''been 
occasioned. 
The 
