126 TRINIDAD. 



tunate enough to come within range, the sportsman has the chance of 

 firing on them while still floating on the water, and again on their 

 starting, so that, as many as from ten to twenty may be brought 

 down at this double shot. Plovers, sandpipers, and other smaller 

 species, are generally killed on the wing : the plovers, seeking 

 damp pasture-grounds and ploughed lands, are easily approached. 



At the conquest of the island a period when the population 

 was scanty, and all sorts of game in great abundance several 

 emigres from the French colonies, whom I could name, drew a 

 subsistence from the return of their chase, some from the sale of 

 ramiers, others of ducks. Every day they would send to market 

 a few dozen ramiers or ouikikis, which fetched at the rate of 

 sixty cents, or 2s. 6d. per pair. The number of those birds has 

 decreased to such an extent since, that any one now choosing such 

 a precarious occupation as the chase, for a maintenance, would 

 inevitably starve, 



Reptiles. Numerous as reptiles are in Trinidad, a few only 

 will be mentioned as deserving notice, either on account of their 

 utility, or of their venomous characteristics. Besides the turtle, 

 both the land and fresh- water tortoises are eaten, and when in 

 good season and condition are not to be despised ; the liver of the 

 morocoy is as delicate, or even much richer and choicer than the 

 fuie gras ; it requires the condiments of lime juice, salt, and 

 pepper, and must be dressed in the frying-pan. Morocoys are 

 sometimes kept in pens, and fattened upon ripe plantains, guavas, 

 &c., for the table. By far the greater number of sea and land 

 tortoises exposed for sale in our markets, come from the Main. 



The common Iguana, but particularly the Mato (Salvator), are 

 not to be rejected from the table ; the flesh of the latter, both in ap- 

 pearance and taste, very much resembles that of a tender fowl. 

 Some persons are also very fond of iguana eggs : they are nearly 

 cylindrical, with rounded extremities. 



The supply of food derived from the great class of reptiles, is 

 much greater than is, perhaps, at first thought. From the Spanish 

 Main alone, the town of Port of Spain receives, on an average, 4,000 

 pounds of turtle per annum, to which we may safely add 4,000 

 pounds more, as representing the quantity supplied to all other 

 parts, including, however, a quota from the island itself; thus the 

 whole quantity of turtle consumed in the island would amount to 

 8,000 pounds; if to this we add 1,000 pounds more for morocoy s, 



