WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 39 



means ''bull-killer." Thus lie may be ranked 

 amongst the deadly snakes; for it comes nearly 

 to the same thing in the end, whether the victim 

 dies by poison from the fangs, which corrupts his 

 blood and makes it stink horribly, or whether his 

 body be crushed to mummy, and swallowed by this 

 hideous beast. 



The Whipsnake, of a beautiful changing green, 

 and the Coral, with alternate broad transverse 

 bars of black and red, glide from bush to bush, 

 and may be handled with safety; they are harm- 

 less little creatures. 



The Labarri snake is speckled, of a dirty brown 

 colour, and can scarcely be distinguished from 

 the ground or stump on wliich he is coiled up ; he 

 grows to the length of about eight feet, and his 

 bite often proves fatal in a few minutes. 



Unrivalled in his display of every lovely colour 

 of the rainbow, and unmatched in the effects of 

 his deadly poison, the Couanacouchi glides un- 

 daunted on, sole monarch of these forests; he is 

 commonly known by the name of the bush-master. 

 Both man and beast fly before him, and allow him 

 to pursue an undisputed path. He sometimes 

 grows to the length of fourteen feet. 



A few small Caimen, from two to twelve feet 

 long, may be observed now and then in passing 

 up and down the river ; they just keep their heads 

 above the water, and a stranger would not know 

 them from a rotten stump. 



Lizards of the finest green, brown, and copper 

 colour, from two inches to two feet and a half 

 long, are ever and anon rustling among the fallen 

 leaves, and crossing the path before you; whilst 



