EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



quantities. Amongft thofe taken lately, were the logo^ 

 logo and jnatuary. The firft is a fpecies of eel, and is 

 fometimes two feet long, and very thick ; dark blue on 

 the back and fides, but whitifli on the belly: it is ex- 

 tremely fat, and very good eating. The other is a fmall 

 fweet fifh without fcales ; but one thing very remarkable 

 is, that in Surinam moft fifhes, the moment they are out 

 of the water, begin to make a noife, not unlike the grunt- 

 ing of a fmall pig: and that fifli have hearing (after 

 many doubts and difputes) has of late been clearly de- 

 monftrated by the moft able inquirers into the hiftory of 

 nature *. 



Having on the 23d dined at the eftate Knoppemonbo, I 

 will alfo mention two birds, which attradled my particular 

 attention. The one on account of the very great pecu- 

 liarity of its neft ; it is called in this country lipee-banana, 

 as fuppofed to feed much on the ripe bananas. Whether 

 this is the mock-bird of Dr. Bancroft, I know not, but in 

 fome particulars it approaches his defcription. 



Thefe birds that I fpeak of had taken poffeffion of a 

 large tree near the water-fide, which the negroes told me 

 they had frequented undifturbed for many years ; they 

 were at leaft above two hundred in number, about the 

 fize of Englidi thruflies, fome were a fiiining bhck, 

 with the tails and part of the wings of a bright crimfon ; 

 the others were alfo black, but their tails and winps of a 

 fine yellow colour. The firft I was informed were the 



* Sec the account giveii to the- IMembers of the Royal Society, by John Hunter^ 

 Efq; F.R.S. 



Vol. L 3 B 4 . males, 



