MARINE ANIMALS, 273 



The Iguana is oviparous; it buries its eggs in the soft alluvial soil on the 

 banks of rivers^, and they are there hatched. It lays many eggs at a time; 

 these are soft^ like those of the Turtle^ and are covered with a parchment-like 

 membrane. These eggs are much prized as articles of delicacy, and during 

 the months of Mai'ch and April the females are hunted for the especial 

 purpose of taking the eggs, which they generally contain at that time. 



Like many other things unknown to European taste, which nature, lavish 

 to extremes, furnishes for the use of the inhabitants of warm climates, the 

 Iguana is considered an exquisite article of food. It is generally hunted by 

 dogs trained to that sort of sport, and is always taken alive, for the dogs 

 exhaust it without worrying it. They chase the Iguana until it can run no 

 longer, when it buries its head, like the Ostrich, in the first hole that it 

 finds. The hunter then takes it by the tail, and secures it without any 

 danger of being bitten. 



The mode of cooking the Iguana is always in a fricassee. The flesh is 

 soft and tender, like that of birds, but exceedingly rich, especially that of 

 the females. Amateurs consider it excellent food, but people are not unan- 

 imous on this subject. Some deem it unwholesome, and productive of that 

 dire disorder leprosy; there are persons, therefore, that could not be prevailed 

 upon by any consideration to taste Iguana flesh. The truth of this notion 

 has never been investigated by ssience; but perhaps it would not be prxident 

 to disregard this belief altogether; because, however caroless the inhabitants 

 of those countries where the Iguanas exist are to making saientific deductions, 

 they nevertheless possess on their side that long observation which, in the 

 natural state, is the only parent of truth. Be these things as they may, 

 one thing, however, is singular, and that is that the Iguana, which is believed 

 to cause leprosy, is also considered the only cure for that disease, and several 

 extraordinary cases are reported as having been permanently cured by this 

 remedy among the South- American Indians, It would be a blessing if, upon 

 scientific test, the belief should be found correct, for it would tend to relieve 

 many that are now suflering from a reputed incurable disorder, and would 

 at the same time bear important testimony in favour of homoeopathy. 



8, Minerva Terrace, Barnsbury Park, London. 



MARINE ANIMALS, 



THE ARGONAUT, 



BY O, S. KOUND, ESQ. 



{Continued from page 74.) 



Every one knows so well the shells of this beautiful race of Marine Animals, 

 that it is much to be regretted that their history and formation should not 

 be also a matter of as great notoriety, for I take it to be almost a necessary 



