57 



Sir Robert Ker Porter sent tho following description with the 

 specimen he presented to the United Service Museum : - " This 

 species is not venomous, nor is it known to injure man, at least 

 not in^this part of the New World. However the natives of tho 

 plains stand in groat fear of it. never bathing in waters where 

 it is known to exist. Its common haunt, or rather domicile, is 

 invariably near lakes, swamps, and rivers, likewise close to wet 

 ravines, produced by inundations of the periodical rains. Ani- 

 mals Avhich repair there to drink and even fishes arc its prey. 

 The creature lies watchfully under cover of the water and while 

 the unsuspecting animal is satisfying its thirst suddenly makes 

 a dash at its nose and with a grip of its bac^ reclining range of 

 teeth never fails to secure the terrified beast. In an instant tho. 

 sluggish waters are in turbulence and foam. The whole form of the 

 serpentis in motion, its huge and rapid codings encircle the strug- 

 gling victim and but a short time elapses ere evei'y bene in the 

 body of the expiring prey is broken." A description follows of 

 the manner in which the dead body is lubricated by the serpent's 

 saliva but this is an error, as it is only covered with saliva in the 

 passage down the snake's throat. One of the main differences 

 between the Boa and the Anaconda is that the former has its 

 head covered with scales Avhile the Anaconda's is furnished with 

 irregular plates. They last long, indeed many months, withoiit 

 food. In that delightful book. At Last, Canon Kingsley thus 

 wrote of the Anaconda — "Wc were anxious too to see, if not to 

 get a Boa Constrictor of one kind or other. For there are two 

 kinds in the Island which may be seen alive at the Zoological 

 Gardens in the same cage. The true Boa which is here called 

 the Mahajuel is striped as well as spotted with two patterns, one 

 over the other. The Iluillia, Anaconda, or Water Boa bears 

 only a few large round spots. Both are fond of water, the 

 Iluillia living almost entirely in it, both grow to a very large 

 size and both are dangerous, at least to children and some ani- 

 mals. That there were Huillias about the place, possibly within 

 fifty yards of the house there was no doubt. One of our party 

 had seen Avith his own eyes one, 27 feet long, killed Avith a 

 whole kid inside it only a few miles off", Tho brown Policeman 

 crossing an arm of the Guanapo, only a month or two 

 before, had been frightened by meeting one in the ford, 

 which his excited imagination magnified so much that its head 

 was on the one bank Avhile its tail Avas on the other, — a measure- 

 ment Avhich must I think be divided by three. But in the very 

 spotiuAvhich avc stood some four years since, happened Avhat might 

 have been a painful tragedy. .Four young ladies Avhose names 

 Avere mentioned to me, preferred, not wisely, a bath in the still 

 lagoon to one in the surf outside, and as they disported them- 



