128 TRINIDAD. 



its body, and then loudly emits a fetid and sickening breath, 

 which causes a sort of fainting sensation. 



Those who have had an opportunity of observing snakes cannot 

 but admit what has been said of their power of fascination. 

 Do they exercise that power under all circumstances ? This I do 

 not believe. Can this power be considered as a sort of magnetic 

 emanation from the serpent, which subdues the victim, and as 

 distinct from the indescribable terror with which it inspires the 

 smaller animals ? This again I very much doubt. Be it what 

 it may, that power of fascination is exercised both by venomous 

 and non-venomous serpents, and apparently through the instru- 

 mentality of the eye : for during the whole time that the victim 

 remains under the influence of the charm, the serpent's eyes are 

 intently fixed on the helpless creature, following all and each of 

 its movements. In relation to this subject, I may, perhaps, 

 mention the following cases which were reported to me by trust- 

 worthy, witnesses. Being struck by the distressing cries proceed- 

 ing from a bird on a tree, Mr. , on examination, perceived 



the poor little creature, leaping from branch to branch, in a state 

 of apparent agony, and uttering incessant plaints ; not far from it 

 was a clibo, following all the ^agitations of the victim by a slow 

 motion of the head, and with fixed and glistening eyes ; the bird 

 was so much fascinated, that from leap to leap, it came within 

 reach of the clibo, nearly into its jaw, and was swallowed ; on 

 another similar occasion, the charm was broken by striking the 

 clibo, and the bird escaped. The next case is that of a Mapepire 

 and Squirrel. A troop of squirrels was met with in a copse, one 

 of them manifesting all the symptoms of anxious distress, as if 

 actually riveted to the branch to which it clung there screaming, 

 trembling, and stretching in agony, as if apparently trying to 

 get a firmer hold of the branch, but all to no purpose, for it soon 

 dropped, and on the party approaching, a mapepire was dis- 

 covered beneath, with the squirrel in its inaw. 



Ameivas are useful in gardens when they destroy numbers of 

 mole-crickets. During the whole rainy season, and also after 

 heavy showers, toads of all kinds and sizes unite their varied croak- 

 ings in discordant concerts from the most acute falsetto to the 

 gravest bass, occasionally drowned by the accompaniment of a 

 chorus from our larger species ; they are generally assisted, in the 

 minor notes, by frogs. Hearken ! the loud croak from this cluster 



