BRASILIAN GUAPERVA. 
two wide, running up to the very throat, and 
capable of being inflated like a bladder. The 
flesh is not eatable. 
Johnston says, that the Guaperva belongs 
to the class of orbicular fishes ; that it feeds 
on Squills, vulgarly called Sea Onions ; and, 
while swimming swiftly, suddenly stretches out 
it's fins, instantly inflates itself, and becomes 
apparently as round as a ball. 
The^e are, he observes, other Guapervas, of 
colours and sizes totally different, and some 
of a quite brilliant black, which also inflate 
themselves. The entire skin of these fish, he 
adds, can easily be compleatly drawn off, and 
is capable of being used as a bag or purse. 
It is, doubtless, from this last circumstance, 
that the Guapervas have sometimes been called 
Sea Purses. 
There seems to be a strong probability, that 
the Guapervas, or some similar fish, are found 
at Madagascar. The Abbe Rochon, in his 
celebrated Voyage to Madagascar and the 
East Indies, observes that, " on the coast of 
die Island of Madagascar, several fish are 
found, 
