312 
Keptiles of Ceylon, 
.gromid. On being opened, it was found to have in its belly 
the head and arm of a black man not yet completely digested. 
The skin was of a knotty horny texture, like that of a young 
rhinoceros, and quite impenetrable to a musket ball. In Fe- 
bruary of the same year, when the escort of the governor, 
on his way to meet the Candian ambassador, arrived at Sitti- 
vacca, some of the soldiers having gone, after the fatigues of 
their march, to refresh themselves by bathing in the river which 
runs through this beautiful and romantick spot, they were 
alarmed to find the place pre-occupied by a number of alliga- 
tors. Being present at the time, and happening to have a fow- 
ling-piece in my hand, I fired at two and killed them. They 
were young ones about eight feet in length. 
The guana in appearance very much resembles the alligator. 
It is a very disgusting animal to look at, but is perfectly harm- 
less, and lives in holes in the ground. It is esteemed good food 
by the natives, and makes excellent curry, or rich soup. The 
flesh tastes very like that of a rabbit. 
An immense number of toads, lizards, blood-suckers, came- 
lions, and a variety of others of the same class abound every 
where throughout the island ; but a particular description of 
them could afford no entertainment to my readers. 
One species, however, has left too deep an impression on 
my mind to be passed over unnoticed. Besides the leeches em- 
ployed by apothecaries to reduce tumours and carry off cor- 
rupted blood, there is another species which infest in immense 
numbers the woods and swampy grounds of Ceylon, particu- 
larly in the rainy season, to the great annoyance of every one 
who passes through them. The leeches of this species are very 
small, not much larger than a pin ; and are of a dark red colour. 
