132 



blowpipe and quiver are from the Indians ' Maquiritare ' of 

 the Upper Orinoco. The arrows are tipped with curare and 

 are therefore to be handled with care. The bark on the 

 upper part of the quiver is from the Marima tree ; this bark 

 peels off in large sheets and all of one piece from 4 to 8 yards 

 long and 3 to 4 Avide and is used by the Indians for bed covers 

 or blankets. The resin on the lower part is the Paranian, 

 well known to the drviggists here, who sell it as an antispas- 

 modic, applied as a plaster. The piece of twine in the middle 

 is for passing round the head or forehead ; the Indians always 

 carry their quiver in this manner, so as to leave their arms 

 and hands free. The Tabari is also the bark of a tree and 

 when peeled off green is beaten into separate leaves as you 

 will see ; these are used in lieu of cigarette paper. The skin 

 is from a Tiger cat, killed in my yard in the suburbs of this 

 city (Bolivar)." Mr. Devenish said that Mr. Gaoteaume's 

 curios were a valuable contribution to the Club collection and 

 he proposed a vote of thanks to the generous donor, seconded 

 by Mr. Potter and carried unanimously. Mr. Devenish also, 

 made some remarks about the differences in colouring of the 

 tiger cats found in Trinidad and Venezuela. The Secretary 

 exhibited the skin of a Huillia (Eunectes murinus) 18 feet long 

 also sent by Mr, Ganteaume as a present to the Club collection. 

 Mr. Potter exhibited a curious Millepede from Santa Cruz and 

 made some remarks thereon — Mr. Mole on behalf of Mr. Charles 

 Libert placed two snake skins on the table one of which was of 

 the Mapipere Zanana, Lachesis rmttns and the other of the 

 Fer-de-Lance, or as it is called here Mapepire Balsain, Bothrops 

 lanceolatus and said that these skins were those of Trinidad 

 snakes. He would call attention to that of the Fer-de-Lance which is 

 found here because a few years ago, when a Fer de Lance, im- 

 ported by Mr. Leon Ccnteno from St. Lucia gave birth to young 

 ones, a paragraph appeared in the Port-of-Spain Gazette, in 

 which fear was expressed that this poisonous reptile might be 

 introduced into the Island. It was not generally known 

 but it was a fact that the Fer-de-Lance was indigenous 

 to the Island and he had seen two specimens in Mr* O'Keilly'e 

 collection (one from the Caroni, captured by Mr. Andrew 

 Graham) and the other about 3 feet in length Avhich was from 

 Caparo and the only difference between the Trinidad specimens 

 and the one from St. Lucia was that the colouring of the Trini- 

 dad snake was lighter than that of the foreigner. — Mr. Caracciolo 

 mentioned a curious fact in connection with the parasol ant. A 

 gentleman from Venezuela had told him that when the Indians on 

 the Orinoco want to get rid of a parasol ants' nest they took the 

 earth that is brought up by the ants of another nest and put it 



