fhoots at fuch infers as happen to be fitting on the 
tops of plants and other projecting objedts near the 
banks. In fhooting at, a fitting infedt it commonly ap¬ 
proaches to the diftance of from fix to four feet before 
it explodes the water. 
When kept in a ftate of confinement in a large ba- 
fon of water, thefe fifh afford a high entertainment, by 
their dexterity in this exercife. If a Hy or other infedt 
be fattened on the edge of the veflel, the fifh inffantly 
perceive it, and, as if contending for the prize, con¬ 
tinue to fhoot at it, with fuch admirable fkill as fcarce 
ever to mifs their mark. 
The color of this fifh is whitifh, or very pa le brown, 
with (commonly) four or five blackifh fafcize running 
acrofs the body. The eyes are very large. On the 
lower part of the dorfal fin is a very remarkable large 
black ocellated fpot, furrounded by a circle of a lighter 
color. The fnout is finely calculated for the power of 
exploding water from it. The trivial name of Roftra- 
tus, which Linnaeus applied to this fifh, being notfuf- 
ficiently diftin&ive of the fpecies, but applying with 
perhaps equal propriety to fome others of the genus, 
I have prefumed to fubftitute that of Enceladus. 
, I think it necefiary to obferve that it is not improba¬ 
ble that the faculty of darting or fhooting water from 
the fnout may not be ablolutely peculiar to the fifh 
above-defcribed, but may perhaps take place in two or 
three other fpecies. 
