114 HOETA AND 



sunning- themselves on the sea cliffs. A heavy 

 shower of rain^ by bringing' out the* land-shells, 

 enabled me to pick up half-a-dozen species of 

 Helix, JBulimus, and Pupa, at the foot of the 

 hedg-e-rowsj I was anxious to procure some to 

 ascertain whether any were non-European forms; 

 one was even quite a new species. On a white- 

 flowered convolvulus with succulent leaves, I found 

 numbers of the caterpillars of a larg-e hawk-moth 

 (Sphinx Convolvuli) which some ragged urchins 

 who followed me shewed great dread of, running 

 away when I picked one up and shouting to me to 

 throw it away, else I should die. One was after- 

 wards brought on board by an English resident — as 

 a very venomous reptile, which had caused three or 

 four deaths during his stay on the island. The 

 recurved horn on the tail has been regarded as a 

 sting, and the poor harmless creature, having once 

 got a bad name, is now by the Fayalese, in the 

 absence of snakes or scorpions, made to supply their 

 place. 



The town of Horta contains, I was told, upwards 

 of 10,000 inhabitants. It is prettily situated on the 

 shores of a small bay, extending between two rocky 

 headlands. The landing-place is at the remains of 

 a mole under the walls of Fort Santa Cruz, the only 

 one of numerous ruinous fortifications where a few 

 guns are mounted; even these are in so wretched 

 a condition that the commandant admitted that it 

 would require several hom's' preparation before they 



