100 TRINIDAD. 



clibo, and the bird escaped. The next case is that of a Mapepire 

 and Squirrel. A troop of squirrels was met with in a copse, one 

 of them manifesting all the symptoms of anxious distress, as if 

 actually riveted to the branch to which it clung — there screaming, 

 trembling, and stretching in agony, as if apparently trying to 

 get a firmer hold of the branch, but all to no purpose, for it soon 

 dropped, and on -the party approaching, a mapepire was dis- 

 covered beneath, with the squirrel in its maw. 



Ameivas are useful in gardens, when they destroy numbers of 

 mole-crickets. During the whole rainy season, and also after 

 heavy showers, toads of all kinds and sizes unite their varied 

 croakings in discordant concerts — from the most acute falsetto to 

 the gravest bass, occasionally drowned by the accompaniment of 

 a chorus from our larger species ; they are generally assisted, in 

 the minor notes, by frogs. Hearken ! the loud croak from this 

 cluster of bamboos by the bank of the river, and in the still of 

 the night, is the harsh and solemn " frog — frog — frog " of one 

 of our hylas ; another species is often met with in some obscure 

 corner of a house, where its croaking is a sure announcement of 

 coming rain. If placed in a bottle with water, it generally 

 keeps motionless at the bottom during dry weather, but rises to 

 the surface and commences its croak on the slightest indication 

 of a shower. 



Fishes. — Out of about fifteen different species of fresh- water 

 fish, only a few are eaten, the others being neglected, from their 

 small size. The largest of those eaten is the guabine (ErytJiri- 

 nus), which is regarded by some as a great treat ; but, in reality, 

 it is neither a savoury nor a delicate fish, as it never loses a 

 certain taste of mud, and is besides difficult to eat, owing to its 

 flesh being crowded with small bones exactly resembling the 

 letter y. The yarrao, which resembles the guabine very much 

 in form, is smaller in size, but has riot the same quantity of 

 bones, and on the whole may be said to be delicate eating. 

 Next come a fine little pike (Gerres) and barbel (Mysus), also 

 the Anne-Marie (Hyposlomus) . Our fresh- water sardines (Hydro- 

 cyon) are neglected on account of their small size, but, when 

 properly dressed, would bear comparison with the gudgeon. 

 None, however, is so much prized as the cascaradura (Callic- 

 thys), and it really is delicate eating. Cascaraduras are offered 

 for sale in country and town during the dry season, at which 



