22 Memoranda of the Natural History, ^c. 



nation. But the Blacks have no such idea. Mr. Mo- 

 reau de St. Mery mentions a very singular serpent. 

 •' On trouve (says he) dans les haulers de la parroise de 

 la Port au Prince, comme dans le reste de la partie de 

 I'ouest, le serpent a tete de chien. II est tres gros et 

 point vcnemieux." Vol. ii. p. 427. 



The Insects of the genera Libellula, Papilio, Ceram- 

 byx, Gryllus, &c., are very numerous. Scarabaeus, 

 Sphinx, Phalaena, &c., are less so. Lightning-bugs 

 (Lampyris?) appear by the middle of April, wliich is 

 earlier than they do in Pennsylvania. 



A variety, I believe, of the Ostrea edulis attaches it- 

 self to wharves. It is less than the common variety in 

 America. Shape orbiculai-, with imbricate scales. It, 

 certainly, differs from the Ostrea parasitica. 



A large species of Cancer feeds occasionally on the 

 fruit of the manchineel. When eaten under such cir- 

 cumstances, it frequently induces the most serious com- 

 plaints, such as, a general swelling of the body, accom- 

 panied with excruciating pain. Mr. Faber informed 

 me of two cases, which terminated fatally. A history 

 of these cases, I could not obtain. 



FISH. 



Order Ahdotninalcs. 



Body ovate : large head, back angular, snout obtuse, 

 mouth large, retractile. Nostrils oval, transverse. Gill-. 



