FOOD OF SNAKES. 385 



the chase, near the river Oropuche, a young deer was started, 

 and its distressed bleating soon proved it was caught. On ap- 

 proaching to the river, whence the cries arose, he saw the animal 

 struggling in the water, and at first was unable to account for 

 its movements ; but, on a nearer view, he ascertained that it was 

 held in the folds of a young huillia ; both animals were killed, 

 and the serpent was found to measure only seven feet and a few 

 inches. 



The rigoise, or horse-whip snake, is generally met in thick 

 copses or under brush, and may be seen gliding along the tops 

 of the crowded and interlaced plants. The cascabel is found 

 in low, damp localities, and along river borders, where it selects 

 its abode among the clumps of bamboos. The mapepire shows a 

 preference for high grounds, and is very common in Mayaro, as 

 also between Caroni and Tamana, near the river Tumpuna. It 

 is often found together with the lapa in the same hole ; and, in 

 certain localities, hunters are obliged to act with great caution, in 

 order to protect their dogs or themselves from its poison fangs. 

 There is, I believe, no authentic record of a lapa having ever 

 been found killed in its recess by a mapepire. 



These serpents, as well as the coral snake, are highly venom- 

 ous ; in fact, the mapepire is quite as formidable as the rattle- 

 snake. The description given of the habits and exterior ap- 

 pearances of the Crotalus mutus, by Schlegel, and of the Lachesis 

 mutuSy by Dumcril, accurately corresponds to our mapepire ; 

 and the Trigonocephalies jararaca, and the Bothrops jararaca, by 

 the same authors, to our cascabel. Dr. Court possesses three 

 specimens of the Trigonocephalus lanceolatus, or the Martinico's 

 fer-de-lance, and of the Trinidad cascabel and mapepire, respec- 

 tively — in which the characteristic differences of these three 

 serpents are very well delineated. The scales of the mapepire 

 are oval, and carinated as those of the others, but they are not 

 so flat, and there is besides on each a prominence, giving it the 

 appearance of a pine-apple eye; hence its local name of "Mape- 

 pire Ananas;" head triangular and thick. The head of the 

 fer-de-lance, or lance-headed trigonocephalus, is more elongated ; 

 and that of the cascabel more so, particularly the muzzle. The 

 mapepire may almost be said to be torpid, or at least so sluggish 

 and indolent as to require provocation before it acts on the offen- 

 sive ; but once roused, it is very fierce, and will spring on, or 

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