observed while staying in Cuba. 455 



solitary prowling shark might be traced, his back fin project- 

 ing above the surface, making the best of his way from ap- 

 prehended danger. Amongst the holes or openings in the 

 coral groups, the large fish called the chierna, or grouper, 

 here reaching to 50 lb. weight, can be harpooned even in the 

 day. The lobster seeks a similar retreat. He is wary and 

 cautious during the day, but may be enticed from his lurking- 

 places by throwing bait to him. We often detect him, merely 

 by his long feelers, protruding incautiously from under some 

 shelving branch of coral. He cannot always resist the allure- 

 ment of a fragment of conch fish : he leaves his shelter, and 

 is transfixed by the harpoon, nffi ei Jboi 



During the rainy season, it is impossible to obtain sleep on 

 the sea shore, because of the multitude of sand-flies and 

 mosquitoes. On this account, we found a desirable retreat 

 from their persecutions by fixing the tent on a wooden frame, 

 called a barbaco, erected in the shoal water, about 120 yards 

 from the shore. 



~MMiough I have secured specimens of several birds of this 

 coast, I am unable to furnish an accurate list; nor are they 

 remarkably numerous in the vicinity [ have attempted to 

 depicture. At a mile or two inland, parallel with the Baxo, 

 and leading eastward from the bay of Gibara, is a creek, 

 bordered by mangrove trees, whose tangled roots and con- 

 torted limbs form an impenetrable barrier on either side, of 

 considerable breadth. These mangrove swamps abound with 

 crabs, which are not eatable, it being considered dangerous 

 food, where they exist among these trees. As we ascend the 

 creek, the passage is so narrow, that the branches frequently 

 meet overhead, or extend across; and a boat is with diffi- 

 culty guided amidst these obstacles. The roots and pendent 

 branches of the mangroves are thickly clustered with small 

 oysters ; and the water is almost stagnant, having a bottom 

 of black mud, looking very favourable to the propagation of 

 yellow fever ; whilst the heated and stifling air seems as 

 stagnant as the water. It may therefore be conceived that, 

 under the blaze of a tropical sun, with the usual accompani- 

 ment of a cloud of sand-flies and mosquitoes, it would require 

 no small temptation to the sportsman to encounter so many 

 annoyances. In fact, the spot is rarely frequented, except for 

 the purpose of shooting wildfowl, or for taking oysters. As 

 we slowly passed up this avenue of mangroves, pelicans, 

 flamingoes, ducks, cranes, herons, and other waterfowls, 

 rose in succession before us ; and our principal prize was a 

 magnificent specimen of the first-named kind. Its stomach 

 and pouch contained twenty-four small fishes, chiefly of the 



ll 4 



