ANIMAL KINGDOM. 129 



of bamboos by the bank of the river, and in the still of the night, 

 is the harsh and solemn " FROG FROG FROG" of one of our hylas ; 

 another species is often met with in some obscure corner of a 

 house, where its croaking is a sure announcement of coming rain. 

 If placed in a bottle with water, it generally keeps motionless at 

 the bottom during dry weather, but rises to the surface and com- 

 mences its croak on the slightest indication of a shower. 



Fishes, Out of about fifteen different species of fresh- water 

 fish, only a few are eaten, the others being neglected, from their 

 small size. The largest of those eaten is the guabine (Erythrinus) , 

 which is regarded by some as a great treat ; but, in reality, it is 

 neither a savoury nor a delicate fish, as it never loses a certain 

 taste of mud, and is besides difficult to eat, owing to its flesh being 

 crowded with small bones exactly resembling the letter y. The 

 yarrao, which resembles the guabine very much in form, is 

 smaller in size, but has not the same quantity of bones, and, on 

 the whole, may be said to be delicate eating. Next come a fine little 

 pike (Crerres) and barbel (Mysus), also the Anne-Marie (Hypos- 

 tomus). Our fresh- water sardines (Ilydrocyon) are neglected on 

 account of their small size, but, when properly dressed, would bear 

 comparison with the gudgeon. None, however, is so much prized 

 as the cascaraduras (Qallidliys) , and it really is delicate eating. 

 Cascaraduras are offered for sale in country and town during 

 the dry season, at which time an enormous quantity is procured 

 from the ponds in the Grand Savannah. The following saying 

 may be noted as expressive of the high opinion the natives 

 entertain of this fish : " He who has eaten cascaraduras must 

 die in the country." It ought not to be confounded with 

 the chat or cat-fish (OallictJiys) , which is not commonly eaten. 



Of our salt-water fish, the following are the most common : 

 the carangue, the Spanish mackerel or carite, the king-fish or 

 tassard, the gar-fish or orphie, and a smaller species called the 

 calaou (Hemiramplms) , the barracuta; of these the king-fish 

 and " carangue grasse" are the best. Under the general deno- 

 mination of red fish, are sold several species of snappers, red- 

 mouths, and sardes, all very good and delicate. To the above 

 may be added the gruper (Mesaprion and Clinus), the lebranche 

 and mullets (Mugil), the dories or lunes (Vomer and Zeus), 

 the crapaud, rays, and the conger-eel ; a species of caranx, 

 of the size of a sardine, and called here the anchovy : of the 



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