I 



384 TRINIDAD. 



fine sand, which, almost blinding its antagonist, causes him to 

 lose his hold. A very ingenious contrivance is sometimes 

 adopted to bring a turtle of the largest size from a distance. 

 One of the fore-flaps is secured to the carapace, or shell, with a 

 line, and the animal placed in the sea, the bound flipper shore- 

 ward, so that it is thus easily led along the beach to any dis- 

 tance. The turtle may also be harpooned whilst rising to, or 

 lying on, the surface, and sometimes it may even be taken asleep 

 in that position. 



The common iguana, but particularly the mato, are not to be 

 rejected from the table. Iguanas are either shot on trees, or 

 caught when laying; their fore and hind feet are then tied 

 behind, so that they cannot move ; they can live many days 

 without food. Matos are hunted down with dogs, and taken 

 either in holes, or in some hollow tree, wherein they seek a tern 

 porary refuge ; the best mode, however, is shooting them ; tb 

 are then watched about mid-day in some copse or bushy sp 

 whither hens are accustomed to lead their broods, or, during t 

 dry season, along the dried beds of ravines, where they lurk for 

 fish. The iguana lives on insects, eggs — those of the tortoise 

 principally — young birds, and the tender buds of plants; the 

 mato is exclusively carnivorous, and fish, young birds, mice, 

 insects, eggs, and even small snakes become its prey ; it generally 

 lays in the nests of termites. Both these saurians are excellent 

 divers, and can remain for a long time under water. 



Some of our serpents attain very large dimensions. Tho boa- 

 constrictor may reach the length of twenty-two feet, and will 

 swallow agoutis, lapas, and young deer ; a huillia killed in the 

 river Cunapo measured seventeen feet eleven inches ; it, however, 

 attains to twenty and even twenty-four feet. The clibo, or 

 cribo, reaches from ten to twelve feet ; and a mute crotal, or 

 mapepire, killed at Couva, and now in the possession of Dr. 

 Court, measures eleven feet. These are the largest species. 



It is well known that snakes live upon such animals as they 

 are enabled to seize ; this prey — generally taken by surprise — 

 consists of small quadrupeds, birds, and even other reptiles. 

 liats and opossums are the great treat of the macajuel ; and as 

 many as seven of the latter were once found in the stomach of a 

 boa-constrictor. The huillia preys on even larger game — such as 

 the lapa, young deer, &c. A gentleman being once engaged in 



