442 TRINIDAD. 



shore, and sandy spots, where it can deposit its eggs in safety ; 

 and large numbers of them are met with on the Bocas islets, and 

 at the mouths of rivers, particularly along the eastern coast. The 

 boa constrictor, or macajuel, seems to prefer low damp places, and 

 the boa-murina, or huillia, never strays far from the river or pond 

 which it has selected as its abode. They are specially plentiful in 

 the Oropuche river, and its affluents, viz., the Cunapo, Sangre- 

 grande, and Sangre-chiquito, nor are they scarce at Cedros. The 

 mute crotal, or mapepire, shews a predilection for high grounds, 

 whilst the cascabel, or trigonocephalus, is commonly met with in 

 damp, low lands. The only specimen of pipa which I have seen, 

 came from the Caroni Savannah, and that of the paradoxal-frog 

 from Cedros. 



The sea-tortoises, or turtles, deserve no peculiar notice. The 

 morocoy and galapa live on soft plants, fruits, and insects ; the 

 morocoy seems to be particularly partial to the wild-plum, which 

 it swallows entire; during the ripening season, several of them 

 may be met with under one tree. Being very slow in their 

 movements, the morocoy and galapa are easily caught ; if near a 

 pond or river, however, the galapa at once dives and escapes 

 under water. Dogs often detect the morocoy by barking at it ; also 

 when coupling, they emit a peculiar grunt which likewise serves 

 to discover them. I may here mention a few particulars regarding 

 the capture of turtle. They are caught either in nets, or on the 

 beach when crawling ashore to deposit their eggs. For this 

 purpose, they come forth at night, and are watched by the 

 catchers. As soon as a turtle is aware of any danger it imme- 

 diately takes to the sea. The safest plan in that case, is to gain 

 the seaward of the animal, and seize it by the fore-flaps ; it then 

 continues to urge against the catcher, and is, with its own aid, 

 easily turned up. If approached and held by the side, it makes 

 a powerful resistance, and in the struggle throws up a cloud of 

 fine sand, which almost blinding its antagonist, causes him to lose 

 his hold. A very ingenious contrivance is sometimes adopted to 

 bring a turtle of the largest size from a distance. One of the 

 fore-flaps is secured to the carapace, or shell, with a line, and the 

 animal placed in the sea, the bound flipper shoreward, so that it is 

 thus easily led along the beach to any distance. The turtle may 

 also be harpooned whilst rising to, or laying on, the surface, and 

 sometimes it may even be taken asleep in that position. 



The common iguana, but particularly the mato, are not to be 



