314 
bisects of Ceyloji. 
them, render it very unsafe for any one to ride through the 
woods of the interior. 
A species of flying lizard is found here, furnished with mem- 
branes extending along its sides in the form of wings, with 
which it is enabled to take its flight from tree to tree. It is 
not above nine inches long, and is perfectly harmless, although 
it is the only animal known which resembles the fabled dragon. 
The insects of Ceylon are extremely numerous. There are 
several species of spiders found, of uncommon size, and poison- 
ous. Flies, beetles, butterflies, muskettoes, cockroaches, with 
almost every insect known in Europe, are here found, of curi- 
ous shapes, and ornamented with a variety of colours. Ground- 
lice and ticks plague the dogs to such a degree as almost to 
make them mad. 
Ants, which are here found of every species, were another 
pest, in addition to the leeches, which we had to encounter 
in our journey through the woods of Candy ; and our clothes 
and furniture suffered extremely from these vermin. The large 
red ants, which live on trees, and build their nests among the 
branches, bite very severely; and in passing among the trees 
one requires to be very cautious of approaching their habita- 
tions, or he will speedily be made to feel the effects of his 
inadvertency. There are also other varieties of black and 
red ants of a smaller size, which inhabit rotten trunks and 
stumps, and are observed in perpetual motion, running up and 
down the trees. They are perfectly harmless, and though 
they bite occasionally like those of our own country, yet their 
bite is attended v^^ith very little uneasiness. 
There is a very small species of ant which is found in dwelling 
houses, where it is of very great use in destroying the larger ' 
