416 EXPLANATORY INDEX. 



" We were frequently amused with the manner in which 

 the Iguanas, alarmed by the noise produced by the boat's 

 paddles, threw themselves from the overhanging branches of 

 trees into the river, many coming down broadside on the 

 water. Their flesh resembles that of a chicken in flavour and 

 quality, and is very good when properly cooked. 



" They are exceedingly numerous on the river (the Cuyuni), 

 where they dig long underground chambers in the sandbanks 

 at the ends of islands, in which they deposit their eggs. Near 

 the foot of a cataract, where there was a high beach, our men 

 dug up the sand in order to trace out some of these chambers 

 for eggs, and succeeded in capturing four Iguanas, which they 

 dragged out by their tails and then seized by the back of the 

 neck and secured. They had to be pretty quick, for the 

 Iguana can turn round suddenly and give a fearful bite. An 

 Iguana must be drawn from its hole with rapidity, for, if it 

 has time to think, it lets go its tail at the base, leaving it in 

 the hands of the would-be capturer, and thus escapes. 



" One of these reptiles, captured at its burrow, when killed 

 and cut up for cooking, was found to contain ten eggs of an 

 ellipsoidal form, shell-less, and midway in size between a 

 pigeon's and a hen's egg. These are good eating when boiled 

 for about five minutes and then allowed to get quite cold. 

 They then require some manipulation. A hole is made in one 

 end of the skin, and the albuminous part, which never 

 coagulates, is squeezed out ; then the skin is stripped off, and 

 the semi-hardened yelk, of the consistency of butter, is eaten 

 with salt. 



" Our men and the Indians had a most cruel way of pre- 

 venting captured Iguanas from escaping, by slitting down the 

 sides of two fore and two hind toes, on opposite feet, and 

 passing the toes between the bone and sinew in such a manner 

 that they could not be disengaged by the struggles of the 

 poor animal. The manner in which they were slaughtered, 

 viz., by inserting a hard-pointed stick up one nostril into the 

 brain, was also a very cruel proceeding." 



