HATTIAN SNAKE. 381 



described to me as a frequenter of hen-roosts, into 

 which it thrust its head, and deceived the young 

 chickens by doing its best to crow, since it looked 

 so much like their own chanticleer. The Spanish 

 friend who first mentioned to me this anomalous 

 snake, and begged me to note it among my remark- 

 able things of the country, told me that he had seen 

 it when visiting in that far east of Hayti, known as 

 the ancient Caciquedom of Higuey. The mountains 

 there rise ' in terraces from ten to fifteen leagues in 

 length and breadth, rough and rocky, interspersed 

 with glens,' — remarkably fertile, and resembling our 

 Red Hills, as much in their produce of Cassava-bread, 

 as in their red soil. Las Casas, who supplies Wash- 

 ington Irving with his account of the physical aspect 

 of this Indian territory*, in mentioning the movm- 

 tain ascents, and their graduated rise, from ' terrace 

 to terrace,' — ' steep and precipitous,' — faced by 

 ' rocks that resemble walls wrought with tools into 

 rough diamond points,' — is describing mountain 

 scenery very familiar to you, — the honeycomb 

 limestone whose cellular surface is so remarkably 

 rugged with cavities and angular spiculee. I have 

 been particular in making this reference to Higuey, 

 because I did not visit that part of Saint Domingo, 

 but was informed that the Serpent with mandibles 

 like a bird, and with scarlet lobes or wattles, and 

 voice that made what might possibly be a cluck like 

 that of the clucking Lizard an imitation of the 

 crowing of the cock, was commonly known there ; so 

 that if Seba should mention Higuey, or indicate the 

 east end of Hayti as the locality from which he re- 

 * Life and Voyages of Columbus, book xvii. ch. iiL 



