EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



great mortification I refufed to give my concurrence, and 

 we rowed down with the fkin to Devil's Harwar. 



Of this fpecies feveral Ikins are preferved in the Bri- 

 tifh and Mr. Parkinfon's Mafeums. It is called by Mr. 

 Weftley Lyboija, and Boa in the Britiili Encyclopoedia* 

 to which publication I refer the reader for a perfedl ac- 

 count, and an excellent engraving, of this wonderful 

 creature, which in the colony of Surinam is called ^^<3;;^^3'. 

 Its length, when full grown, is faid to be fometimes 

 forty feet, and more than four feet in circumference; 

 its colour is a greenifh black on the back ; a fine brownifh 

 yellow on the fides, and a dirty v/hite under the belly ; 

 the back and fides being fpotted with irregular black 

 rings, with a pure v/hite in the middle. Its head is broad 

 and flat, fmall in proportion to the body, with a large 

 mouth, and a double row of teeth : it has two bright 

 prominent eyes ; is covered all over with fcales, fome 

 about the fize of a fliilling ; and under the body, near 

 the tail, armed with two ftrong claws like cock-fpurs, ta 

 help it in feizing its prey. It is an amphibious animalj^ 

 that is,, it delights in low and marfhy places, where it lies 

 coiled up like a rope, and concealed under m.ofs, rotten 

 timber, and dried leaves, to feize its prey by furprize, 

 which from its immenfe bulk it is not a^ftive enough to 

 purfue. When hungry, it will devour any animal that 

 comes within its reach, and is indifferent whether it is a 

 iloth, a wild boar, a ftag, or even a tiger ; round which 



having 



