FISH-POTS. 
207 
geniously worked inwards to form a narrow tubular 
entrance, extending a little way into the interior ; 
and so managed that the elastic ends should meet 
each other in a point, offering no obstruction to a 
fish pushing his way in, but resuming their position 
the moment his body had passed, so as effectually to 
preclude his return. A lid, moving on a hinge of 
the same material, and tied down, afforded the' 
fisherman an opportunity of introducing his hand to 
take out the prey captured, or of putting in the offal, 
which constituted the temptation to enter. 
We examined three or four in succession, and all 
had taken something ; perhaps half-a-dozen fishes in 
one, three or four in another, and so on. Some of 
them were transferred to me, and were saved from 
the ignoble destiny to which the cook would have 
consigned them, to be (literally) embalmed in the 
honourable service of science. One of these was 
sufficiently hideous, and was no favourite with the 
old negro, who gave it the name of Poison-grouper. 
It was a species of Apistes, the more interesting 
because belonging to a rather numerous genus, 
hitherto recognized only in the Oriental seas ; a 
circumstance which I would commemorate by calling 
the present species Apistes exulA Another fish of 
* It may be thus described. Apistes exul, mihi. Body well co- 
vered with scales. Head very spinous ; sub-orbital spines short, 
scarcely more than serratures ; profile gently descending ; mouth 
opening diagonally upwards. Dorsal commencing above the base of 
pectoral ; ending considerably short of the base of caudal ; moderately 
hollowed in the middle ; pectoral with no free ray. Fin-ray for- 
mula: B. 7; D. 12—10; A. 3—5; C. 18; P. 19; V. 1—5. 
