The Rock Fish (Perca venenosa) Possibly 1754

This hand-colored engraving, "The Rock Fish (Perca venenosa)," is from Mark Catesby's *Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands,* a landmark work in natural history illustration. Catesby, an English naturalist, meticulously documented the flora and fauna of the New World in the first half of the 18th century. This detailed depiction showcases the fish’s speckled scales, a yellow patch on its side, and a red eye, highlighting Catesby's mastery of scientific illustration.