XAYMACA; THE ISLAND OF MANY RIVERS 315 



of lizards had become very rare, and a number of 

 them were wholly extirpated. Now all of these 

 lizards were insect-feeding animals, and did their 

 part to hold in check the throngs of insects which 

 swarm in the tropics. The raising of all poultry 

 was rendered well-nigh impossible, and even the 

 young of animals like the pig and sheep suffered 

 severely from the ravages of the mongoose. 



One of the industries of the island of Jamaica 

 was the raising of beef cattle, and the so-called 

 pens on the islands, large cattle estates, had 

 become famous in trade and story. Here were 

 bred some of the finest cattle for supplying the 

 markets of the neighboring islands, both for 

 draught and market purposes. With the serious 

 decline in bird and reptile life, resulting from the 

 source I have indicated, there came a marked 

 increase among certain insects that had always 

 been regarded as great pests by the islanders. 

 Chief among these was the grass-tick. This is a 

 minute tick living in the grass fields ; and with 

 the destruction of its natural enemies, birds, lizards, 

 and snakes, it multiplied and began to assume 

 proportions that menaced the entire industry of 

 cattle and sheep raising. More recently the de- 

 struction of this industry has been practically 

 accomplished; for I have learned from those who 

 passed last winter in the island that. the raising 

 of cattle and sheep had been abandoned at most 



