THE COMMON GUANA. $] 



slow; " their holes/' says Catesby, " being a greater 

 security than their heels." Though not naturally 

 amphibious, it will on necessity continue long under 

 water ; in swimming, it keeps its legs close pressed 

 to its body, and urges itself forward by means of 

 the tail. 



The females usually quit the woods or mountains 

 about two months after the end of winter, for 

 the purpose of depositing their eggs in the sand of 

 the sea shore. These eggs are always unequal in 

 number, from thirteen to twenty-five. They are 

 longer, but not thicker than pigeons eggs. The 

 outer covering is white and flexible. Most travellers 

 say that these eggs give an excellent relish to sauces, 

 and that their taste is preferable to that of poultry 

 eggs *. 



The flesh of the animals constitutes a principal 

 support of the natives of the Bahamas, who go out 

 in their sloops to other islands to take them, which 

 they do by means of dogs trained for the purpose. 

 As soon as caught their mouths are sewed up, to 

 prevent them from biting, and some are carried alive 

 frcm hence to Carolina for sale ; others are salted 

 and barrelled for home consumption f . 



Father Labat speaks highly of their delicacy and 

 fine flavor, and describes the mode in which he, 

 and some others that were along with him, saw 

 one of them taken. " We are attended (he says) 

 by a negro who carried a long rod, at one end of 



La Cepede, i. 341. + Catesby, ii, 64. 



