principally the "horse-eyed cavallie," the yellow-billed sprat, and the conger eel: the flesh of the yellow-billed sprat has often proved fatal to those who have eaten it, and it has been known for death to take place six hours after tasting it. The poison is said by some to be contained in the head.

The stingray is another native of these seas, the meat of which is much esteemed by the Creoles. This fish is armed with a long, slender tail, in the middle of which is a sharp barb; with this instrument the stingray beats the water, or anything that approaches it, rapidly, when attacked. The negro fishermen allege, that the stroke from the stingray's tail produces leprosy, for which cause they are very careful in approaching it; and a circumstance has been related of a person having been thrown into a frenzy for forty-eight hours after being struck by this formidable weapon.

The corramou is the salmon of the Antiguan fisheries, as far as regards superiority of flavour. It is caught in the fresh-water stream which runs throughout the Island, but is rather scarce; it is the most delicate of the West Indian fish, and ought to be cooked as soon as taken from its parent stream. Snappers, hinds, silks, mullets, doctors, angels, old wives, nurses, Spanish mackerel, &c., are among the other kinds of fish exposed for sale in the Antiguan markets, some of which are noted for their excellent taste, the others for their brilliancy of hue; indeed, the most diversified colours, as yellow, purple, pink, orange, green, and blue, chequered with gold and silver, and the whole happily blended together, are to be observed in almost every species. The parrot fish is the most beautiful of its tribe. Its scales are of the deepest emerald, and its eyes, composed of different coloured circles, are as clear as crystal. It feeds upon shellfish, which it crushes between its bony jaws, nature having armed it with such instruments in place of teeth. The negroes always call it "blue parrat;" its flesh is much esteemed by them, but the flavour is so

rank, that it is

never admitted at any respectable table. It sometimes attains the weight of from sixteen to twenty pounds. There

are a great number of other edible fish which might be deservedly mentioned, but the pages of this work have so multiplied, that I must pass them over without further mention.

CHAPTER LI.

Zoology: orb-fish-Echinus, known to the ancients—Hippocampus— Trumpet-fish-Toad-fish-Sea-blubber, and galley-fish-Sea-polypus -Cat-fish-Crabs, oysters, &c.-Turtle-Land-crab-Soldier-crab— Lizards - Guana - Wood-slave-Scorpions-Centipede-Snakes— Tarantula-Cockroach-Caterpillars and butterflies-Ants-Bats— Aquatic birds-Land birds-Humming bird-Anecdote.

AMONG the curiosities found about the shores of Antigua, are, first, the orb-fish, sea-porcupine, or orbus-major, as it is severally called. This fish varies from seven inches, to two feet in length; it has no scales, but is armed with sharp spines, measuring from one to three inches in length, which it can erect at pleasure-the longest of these spines are placed behind the eyes, the shortest beneath the body. The mouth is shaped like a frog; the eyes are round and prominent, and behind them rises two strong, circular-shaped fins, which it uses with great agility when swimming. The anal and posterior fins are large and curved; and the tail strong and well adapted for making way through the waters. In the middle of the stomach is a bladder filled with air, by the aid of which it can inflate itself at pleasure, until it presents the figure of a complete sphere. The meat of the orbus is said to be excellent, with exception of the head, which is always thrown away; it is dressed in the same manner as turtle. When alive, it is a dangerous and formidable enemy in its native element, as it is not blessed with a very amiable temper. And when stuffed, it is an object of great curiosity, and well worthy of a place in a museum. The echinus, or sea-urchin, is another species of the class and

order vermes, mollusca. It does not attain the size of the orbus major, being seldom found more than five inches in length, but it is covered with sharp prickles, and can equally inflate itself when angry. The flesh is eaten with oil, vinegar, and pepper; and in flavour resembles the lobster. This fish was known to the ancients, who esteemed it a royal fare, when dressed with mead, parsley, turmeric, and mint.

The trumpet-fish, or fistularia, is a genus of the order of abdominales. It measures about 18 inches in length. The snout is cylindrical, like a trumpet, from whence its name; the jaws are at some distance from the eyes, which are very bright, and the body tapering to the tail. Its principal food is small fish and marine worms.

The hippocampus, or sea-horse, is another surprising little animal, never exceeding in length nine inches, and about the thickness of the little finger. The formation of the head is very much like that of a horse-from whence its familiar name-the snout is a kind of tube, with a hole at the end, which it can open or shut at pleasure. The eyes are bright and jut from the head; behind them are two fins, of the shape and appearance of a horse's ears, and above them two orifices for respiration, through which it can spout up the water in a similar manner to the whale. Down the back runs a line of short, stiff hairs, like the mane of a horse, which falls off when the animal is dead; and the whole body is composed of rings with intermediate prickles. It belongs to the cartilaginei order. The ancients considered it extremely venomous, even to the slightest touch, but like many other assertions, it is ill-founded, for I have handled many of them and received no hurt. Some of the hippocampus are of a dull chesnut colour, others of a dark grey; when swimming, they compress their tails, and raise themselves with an undulating motion, which gives them the appearance of a miniature horse cantering.

The toad-fish is another curious little denizen of the deep, of the same dusky hue as the toad-from whence its

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name.

FISH.

When gently rubbed with the finger, it inflates itself into the form of a ball; and if pressed while in this state, bursts with a sharp report. It is eaten by many of the negroes, who are not famed for the delicacy of their palates, although the flesh is very rank.

The sea-blubber and galley-fish are other varieties of the mollusca class. They float like a jelly upon the surface of the sea, near its margin; and are dangerous to fishermen, and those persons who are in the habit of going into shallow water without shoes, wounding the feet sorely. If trodden upon, they explode with a loud noise, like an inflated bladder. These sea-nettles, (so called from the stinging pain they occasion if touched,) like the rest of their tribe, feed upon minute shell-fish and sea-insects. They are viviparous.

The sea-polypus also inhabit these seas. These wondrous phenomena of nature belong to the genus hydra, class vermes, order zoophyte; the distinguishing character of which is, that if any part of the body be severed, it instantly becomes a perfect animal. For example, if a polypus be cut transversely into two or three pieces, each portion becomes a regular animal, and a new polypus will also be produced from the skin of the old one. If any of the young polypi be mutilated while growing upon the body of the parent, the parts cut off will immediately grow again; and even if the polypus be dispossessed of its extremities, it will produce young ones before it has attained head or tail. The sea-anemone is very beautiful when alive. It is of a most lovely purple, and throws out its numerous feelers like radii from the centre; these feelers it can contract or expand at pleasure. They feed, like the rest of their species, upon small marine worms, insects, and shell-fish, which they have the power of rendering motionless, (after being entrapped in their long fibrous arms,) by means of a gluey liquid which oozes out of their bodies.

The chatodon, or cat-fish, is another inhabitant of the Caribbean. It is one of the most voracious of its tribe, preying indiscriminately upon all who approach it, and who

it is enabled, by stratagem or open warfare, to overcome. The body is oblong, the head small, and the teeth slender, but extremely sharp, and bending inwards. The fins of the back are scaly, and the gill-membrane six-rayed.

Among the shell-fish are lobsters, (some of which attain to an immense size,) several kinds of crabs,* oysters, (which generally adhere to the mangrove trees,) conchs, whelks, cockles, star-fish, sea-eggs, and smaller multivalves and bivalves. This part of the ocean is also very prolific in marine plants, (some of which, as "sea-feathers,” “sea-fans,” &c., are very beautiful,) and corals of several shapes and kinds; the latter substance is principally used for burning lime. The brain-stone is also frequently found, as well as many other curiosities, which are purchased from the negro divers and sent to England, as presents, but which I must pass over with this brief notice.

The testudo Mydas, or sea-turtle, frequent the bays of Antigua. The female is so very prolific, that she sometimes lays 1000 eggs, which are hatched by the sun, in about 25 days. The merits of this amphibious animal are too well known to descant upon. The shell+ is very hard and strong, and it will carry as much as 700 or 800 lbs. upon its back. One was captured in these seas, a few years ago which measured six feet across the back, and the shell formed a good boat for a boy to sail about the harbour in. In Cuba, they attain a great size, and have been known to walk off with five or six men standing upon them. A full-grown turtle has often attained the weight of 500 lbs. There are none of this race of giants at Antigua; those caught upon her shores are of smaller dimensions, although of rich flavour.

The cancer ruricola, or land-crab, is another inhabitant of

*The cancer graspus is the handsomest of its species, being of a pale yellow, beautifully streaked and spotted with red, and deeply serrated claws of a pure white. When in its native element it spouts out the water from two orifices near its eyes, forming a beautiful and neverceasing arch.

It was the shell of a turtle which served that great monarch, Henry IV. of France, for a cradle.