FOOD OF SNAKES. 443 



rejected from the table. Iguanas are either shot on trees, or 

 caught when laying ; their fore and hind feet are then tied behind, 

 so that they cannot move ; they can live many days without food. 

 Matos are hunted down with dogs, and taken either in holes, or 

 in some hollow tree, wherein they seek a temporary refuge ; the 

 best mode, however, is shooting them; they are then watched 

 about mid-day in some copse or bushy spot, whither hens are 

 accustomed to lead their broods, or, during the dry season, along 

 the dried beds of ravines, where they lurk for fish. The iguana 

 lives on insects, eggs those of the tortoise principally young 

 birds, and the tender buds of plants; the mato is exclusively 

 carnivorous, and fish, young birds, mice, insects, eggs, and even 

 small snakes become its prey; it generally lays in the nests of 

 termites. Both these saurians are excellent divers, and can 

 remain for a long time under water. 



Some of our serpents attain very large dimensions. The boa- 

 constrictor may reach the length of twenty-two feet, and will 

 swallow agutis, lapos, and young deer ; a huillia killed in the river 

 Cunapo measured seventeen feet eleven inches ; it however attains 

 to twenty and even twenty-four feet. The clibo, or cribo, reaches 

 from ten to twelve feet, and a mute crotal, or mapepire, killed at 

 Couva, and now in the possession of Dr. Court, measures eleven 

 feet. These are the largest species. 



It is well known that snakes live upon such animals as they 

 are enabled to seize ; this prey generally taken by surprise 

 consists of small quadrupeds, birds, and even other reptiles. Eats 

 and opossums are the great treat of the macajuel ; and as many as 

 seven of the latter were once found in the stomach of a boa-con- 

 strictor. The huillia preys on even larger game such as the lapo, 

 young deer, &c. A gentleman being once engaged in the chase, 

 near the river Oropuche, a young deer was started, and its 

 distressed bleating soon proved it was caught. On approach- 

 ing to the river, whence the cries arose, he saw the animal 

 struggling in the water, and at first was unable to account for its 

 movements ; but, on a nearer view, he ascertained that it was 

 held in the folds of a young huillia ; both animals were killed, 

 and the serpent was found to measure only seven feet and a few 

 inches. 



The rigoise, or horse-whip snake, is generally met in thick 

 copses or under brush, and may be seen gliding along the tops of 

 the crowded and interlaced plants. The cascabel is found in low, 



