

8UMMEU-SLEEP OF SNAKES. 133 



examining the spot where the barbacoa, or couch, was placed, 

 the cause of this strange adventure was easily discovered. 

 The ground was disturbed to a considerable depth. It was 

 dried mud, which had covered the crocodile in that state of 

 lethargy, or summer-sleep, in which many of the species lie 

 during the absence of the rains in the Llanos. The noise of 

 men and horses, perhaps the smell of the dog, had aroused 

 the crocodile. The hut being built at the edge of the pool, 

 and inundated during part of the year, the crocodile had no 

 doubt entered, at the time of the inundation of the savan- 

 nahs, by the same opening at which it was seen to go out. 

 The Indians often find enormous boas, which they call uji, 

 or water-serpents,* in the same lethargic state. To reanimate 

 them, they must be irritated, or wetted with water. Boas 

 are killed, and immersed in the streams, to obtain, by means 

 of putrefaction, the tendinous parts of the dorsal muscles, 

 of which excellent guitar-strings are made at Galabozo, 

 preferable to those furnished by the intestines of the alouate 

 monkeys. 



The drought and heat of the Llanos act like cold upon 

 animals and plants. Beyond the tropics the trees lose their 

 leaves in a very dry air. Reptiles, particularly crocodiles 

 and boas, having very indolent habits, leave with reluctance 

 the basins in which they have found water at the period of 

 great inundations. In proportion as the pools become 

 dry, these animals penetrate into the mud, to seek that 

 degree of humidity which gives flexibility to their skin and 

 integuments. In this state of repose they are seized with 

 stupefaction; but possibly they preserve a communication 

 with the external air ; and, however little that communica- 

 tion may be, it possibly suffices to keep up the respiration of 

 an animal of the saurian family, provided with enormous 

 pulmonary sacs, exerting no muscular motion, and in which 

 almost all the vital functions are suspended. It is probable 

 that the mean temperature of the dried mud, exposed to 

 the solar rays, is more than 40. When the north of Egypt, 

 where the coolest month does not fall below L3'4, was 

 inhabited by crocodiles, they were often found torpid with 

 cold. They were subject to a winter-sleep, like the Euro- 



* Oulcbra de ayua, named by the common people traga-venado, 'the 

 wallower of stags.' The word vji belongs to the Tamanac language 



