-aUNTHEE-— FRESH-WATEll FISHES. 227 
fiber at the commeneement of the caudal streak, a third at 
the root of the caudal. One or two of these spots may he 
absent. 
The male is 1 inch, the female \\ inch long. 
Wednesday , 18 th November , 1868. 
H. J. Lechmeke Guppy, F.L.S., F.G.S., &c., President, in 
•the Chair. 
The following communication was read - 
*On Fish-Poison’s. 
By the Hon. Richard Hill, Corresponding Member. 
In my former communication* 4 I treated of Poisonous 
Fishes ; the present paper will be devoted to Fish-poisons, 
Mr. Samuel Barton, pilot of Port-Royal, supplies us with 
a remark that carries us over a great deal of ground in ac- 
counting for the fishes of our coast so frequently manifest- 
ing poisonous qualities. Midway between Cuba, Haiti, 
•and Jamaica, lie the extensive reefs and shoals of the 
Formigas. They are several miles in extent, and have 
barely more depth of water on them than for a moderate- 
sized vessel to pass in a smooth sea. This shoal presents a 
concentration of all the incidents to be found in our fring- 
ing shore reefs. Arborescent corals and spreading mille- 
pores stretch on walls and ledges, interspersed with huge 
meandrinas and brain-stones, among which lodge a profu- 
sion of holothurias, echinuses, star-fishes, and a variety of 
sponges. This great mass of reefs, called from their clus- 
tering swarm, the Ant’s Nest, or the Formigas, is a very 
warren, or vivarium of all sorts of fishes. As you approach 
* Antea, p. 210. 
