Of FISH.
A List of the common Names of the Fish o f Carolina, exclusive
of those before figured and described,
SEA
FISH.
Whale.
Grampus.
Shark.
Dog-fish.
Porpesse.
Thresher.
Bottle-nose.
Sword-fish.
Devil-fish.
Cavally.
Blue-fish.
Drum-black.
Drum-red.
Angel-fish.
Shad.
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Garr-white.
Gar green.
Mullet.
Sole,
Plaise.
Sting-Ray.
Thornback.
Flounder.
Bass.
Sea-tench.
Sheep-tench.
Sheep-head.
Eel.
Eel Conger.
Eel Lamprey.
Fat-back.
Herring.
Taylor.
Smelt.
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Breem.
Trout.
Toad-fish.
Sun-fish.
Black-fish.
Rock-fish.
Crabs, &c.
RIVER FISH.
Pike.
Pearch.
Trout.
Roach.
Daice.
Carp.
Cat-fish.
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Some Observations concerning the Fish on the Coasts of Carolina
and Virginia.
BALAENA.
Whales.
Whales of different Species are sometimes cast on Shore, as are
Grampus's in Storms and Hurricanes.
DIABOLUS Marinus.
The Devil-fish.
This is a flat Fish, and somewhat resembles a Scate; on its Head
are two or more Horns; in each Jaw is a thick flat Bone, which by
moving horizontally in the Manner of Mill-stones, grinds its Food,
which is Shell-fish, &c. A small Fish of this Kind I once caught
in a Net, but it unluckily falling overboard, I was deprived of
an Opportunity of observing it, which I much regretted, not only
for its Scarcity, but the extraordinary Oddness of its Structure.
It is a large Fish, and of great Strength, as will appear by the
following Circumstance. A Sloop of So Tuns lying at Anchor in the
Harbour of Charles-Town, was on a sudden observed to move
and scud away at a great Rate; this being in View of Hundreds of
Spectators, and it being known that no Body was on Board it, caused
no small Consternation. At length it appeared to be one of these
Fish, which had entangled its Horns with the Cable, and carried
the Sloop a Course of some Leagues before it could disentangle itself
from it, which at length it did, and left the Sloop at Anchor again,
not far from the Place he moved it from.
PORCUS.
The Porpesse.
Porpesses are numerous in Bays, and Creeks, where by their furious
Pursuit of other Fish, they often plunge themselves so far on Shore,
that for want of a sufficient Depth of Water to retreat back, they
are left on land, and become a Prize to the Discoverer, they yielding
much Oil. These Fish will not be taken by a Bait: They are gregarious,
being rarely seen single. They are streight bodied, but by their
undulating Motion in swimming, and by their appearing alternately
in and out of the Water, they seem to be curved and resemble the
Shape of the Dolphin, as they are figured in the Sculptures of the
Ancients.
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