86 TRINIDAD. 



Carnivora — Bigitigrada. — Tiger-cat or Ocelot (Felis Par- 

 tialis). — This is one of the most beautiful of the feline tribe; 

 when full-grown, it is nearly four times as large as the domestic 

 cat. One was killed in the ward of Guanape weighing thirty- 

 three pounds. The ocelot preys upon all sorts of small animals, 

 is particularly fond of poultry, and, in one night, may destroy a 

 dozen or more. It climbs the highest trees, but, when hunted 

 down, or hard pressed by dogs, it backs against the trunk of 

 some tree, and keeps its enemies at bay with its powerful 

 paws. 



Gato-Melao, or Wood-dog — Caira {Mustela barbara). — This 

 animal is not common, and its habits are imperfectly known. 

 Like the ocelot, it can ascend the loftiest trees, invariably descend- 

 ing head downwards : it lives upon honey, birds' eggs, &c, and 

 makes terrible havoc amongst fowls ; when attacked by dogs, it 

 defends itself fiercely. 



Marsupialia. — Opossum, or Manicou {Bidelphis) . — The 

 Opossum is very common here, and feeds upon fruits, birds, 

 and carcases; it is also a great destroyer of poultry, creeps 

 into the roosts at night, and ventures even into towns on its 

 depredations. The Manicou is generally very fat, and its flesh 

 tender, but is not prized as food, except by the lower classes, 

 by whom it is considered rather a delicacy. 



Rodentia. — Squirrel (Scitirus) very common, and a great 

 enemy to corn, and particularly to the cacao, of which it is very 

 fond : it devours the bean of the latter, which it abstracts after 

 having gnawed a hole in the pod. 



Rats (Mus). — Multitudes of both rats and mice are met 

 with in all parts of the island. The former, however, are not, 

 as in the older colonies, a pest to the cane-fields ; but a peculiar 

 species of a dark colour is a great destroyer of cacao, and also 

 of root-provisions, such as sweet potatoes and yams. 



Agouti {Chloromys acuti). — Very common, well known, and 

 easily domesticated. The Agouti feeds principally upon seeds and 

 roots, and is partial to corn, the manioc or bitter cassada, and yam. 

 This animal does not of itself burrow, but lives in the hollows of 

 fallen timber, or in the holes at the root of standing trees, particu- 

 larly the Balata ; in dispositions and habits, as well as in the 

 quality of its flesh, it resembles the rabbit; as food, however, it 

 is not much esteemed, being dry and always requiring mucl 



