VI I 
poisonous properties of which are, in some instances, 
never suspended, whereas, iu other cases they are only 
exhibited at certain periods, that is (we may quote the 
language of the Fishermen) “ when the coral is in flower, 
and the fish feeds on the tender shoots.” — The meaning 
of which is, when the multiplication and growth of the 
Madrepors and other Polyps are at their greatest 
height. 
A Treatise on these Fishes would be highly interesting, 
if those who undertook it followed, as a model the very 
accurate paper in which Dr. Le Juge describes the 
Synanceia bracchiata published in the Transactions of 
our Society last year. 
Col. Pike, in a recent trip to the Seychelles Islands, 
collected some very interesting specimens of Natural 
History. His narrative is contained in several letters 
published in the* 1 Commercial Gazette” and which we 
hope, he will also place at our disposal, to be published 
with the next number of our “ Transactions.” 
He also mentions a fact sufficiently curious to be repeat- 
ed. He assures us that he saw in the interior of the 
forests in the Seychelles Islands, Arabic characters cut 
on several rocks. 
Every one knows that these Islands remained a long 
time unhabited, since they were discovered only in 1742, 
and were called after M. de Seclielles (not Seychelles) 
who was Controller of the Finances, in the reign of Louis 
the Fifteenth. 
Col. Pike is of opinion, that these characracters must 
have been cut by Arab Pirates who probably took refuge 
in these islands, which served them as a landing places 
and as a depositary for the slaves and booty captured on 
eastern coast of Africa, or at Madagascar. 
Col. Pike was shewn a piece of wood pierced by an 
arrow, the point of which was broken off in the thick of 
