32 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 
medium through which the author saw everything during 
his sojourn in Trinidad has detracted from that accuracy 
and impartiality so desirable in treating of places and 
politics, men and manners. 
Ledru (Andre-Pierre). 
Voyage aux isles de Teneriffe, la Trinite, St. Thomas, 
Ste. Croix et Porto Kico execute par ordre du Gouverne- 
ment fran^ais depuis le 30 Sept. 1796 jusqu’au 7 Juin 
1798, pour faire des recherches et des collections relatives 
a l’histoire naturelle — Avec notes par M. Sonnini. — 2 vols. 
Paris 1810— 8vo. — Vol. I, pp. 232-311. 
The author of this work was a botanist who accompa- 
nied the expedition. After visiting Teneriffe they pro- 
ceeded to Trinidad. They entered the Gulf of Paria by 
the Serpent’s Mouth where they observed a battle be- 
tween a whale (Balaena physalus L,) and a scie (saw-fish, 
Squalus pristis L.). During their voyage the island had 
fallen into the possession of the English. They had how- 
ever a safe-conduct from the British Admiralty, but were 
not allowed to remain more than eight days. The author 
speaks (p. 235) of the numerous corsairs to be met with in 
the Gulf. M. Sonnini (at p. 245) furnishes a note on the 
Pelican. Chapter xvi treats of th9 population, cultivation, 
products and natural history of Trinidad and the Gulf. 
The population of St. Joseph is stated at 1900 or 2000. 
The author quotes McCallum, also a paper on the Pitch 
Lake in the Transactions of the Linnean Society for 1789 
vol viii, and another paper on the same subject by Dr. 
Anderson in the Philosophical Transactions for the same 
year. 
