The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-26
FISH.
Varieties in Cuban and West indian Waters
of EVIL ReputatiOn.

or Evil Reputation.
There is a belief among the fishermen Of
Cuba that some OF the fish there are poisonous.
II asked the cause. one reply is that there is so
much copper in the water that 1t poisons the
fish. This is a fsherman's reason. yet the fact
holds that In all waters there are fish that are
poisonous. In Cuban waters the jack dranr-
is a common table fish. On the Florida reef all
kinds are eaten. and one rarely hears OF n
poisonous fish. yet in Havana there Is a law
which prevents the sale OF Jacks OF over two
pounds. for the reason that a poisonous Cdranr
exists which attains a weight Of twenty-five
pounds. This. when the law il enforced. cuts
out OF the Cuban dietary a number of fishes.
The poisonous Jack is known to science az
'drdnr fdtldr, its common name in Cuba being
juvel. 1t is difficult for the layman to distin-
gulsh between the poisonous and ths non-poi-
sonous Jacks. Another Jack, Cdrnnr piun,iero.
commonly seen in the Havana market under
the local name OF chicaro. Is readily eaten. bu t
according to DR.. Hornemann, the natives of the
West India islands are afraid to eat it at certain
seasons. At Guadalupe. as an m It is
eaten at times without i'll effect. while Mt others
the flesh assumes a coppery hue. the bones
turn red and it is exceedingly poisonous, so
much 50 that DR.. Hornemann states that It ia
used to poison rats.
DR.. Oscar Tybring has collected much inter-
estinG Information on this subject, and especial
attention is given to emphasize tho fact that
some fishes are poisonous at certain times.
The writer's belief is that locality has much to
do with it. During several years residence at
Garden Key. seventy miles from Cuba. an in
stance OF any ones being poisoned by the local
nShes was never heard of by him. The barra-
cuua was at all times considered a fine table
ish. but a fisherman from Cuba who nshed
GOWN the channel islands could hardly be in
duced TO take large specimens Of the fish.
Which he said were poisonous around Cuba,
more ieet; was, considered especially poison
Gus. This fish, which was invariably found /" bs
su S% p 5ao is B lar ! in PIoFdIa ls " Was regarded with
son given is -" black at the roots of the sharp
Htse'hfir PVT this sign has no meaning in FIori-
"a. ne parracuda Is common at Rio. and, ac-
%eordinR. 10 Mericourt. some OF the men OF a
fTTrhheh irigste were badly poisoned BY atingit.
ne INJURIES in Florida. snake-like cells 81 fe-
focious appearance and nature. are often said
IS he poisonous, but the writer Experimental
could forget the snake-like mouth. white leop.
ard.ltke markings and the certainly Disagree
S was Sc .Ss Ssieem "t ' by t tlsh old T R1mn is the m GsEthst
impossible to induce a fisherman on the outer
those tSSt 70 Sro omt = IN mpRFp r. and some affirmed that
Certain localities have become notorious Tor
tneir poisonous fish. as the Cape OF Good Hope.
warned not to, eat the fish; and in eases OBJ.
HnnrEen here the, SYMPTOMS were remarkably
- W VI SilOelh. L ne TlcnIy cOlOreN fishes
have an evil reputation everywhere, but this
certainly docs not apply to the Florida species'
are known at the Isle OF France. in the Antilles
snsc IN china and Japan, He mentions W
uuadaloune, one OF the gar fishes" BsIots
y]E,tsgaZi known as a poisonous fsh; yet the
writer preferred i 70 all the small fishes and
being poisonous, That II is so in other To-.
'hItles there can be no doubt. as DR.. Horne
mann says 1t IL especially dangerous during
the spawnlng season and thai the roe should be
aNnlled. ne quotes cases whore people in San
Domingo have died from eating the fish and
advises sailors to avoid fishes OF this kind N
IN JalatIes" waters several FISH are said IN ha
Is dangerous from July 10 Soutemhnr, md in
almost every lorelgn country fish will be found
mat are avoided. On the American cnast true
rarc,: and; nut,ing pr"Iuiicc and legends aside
very materially reduced "NH'u 10