112 
MADAGASCAR. 
which are considered a great delicacy, extracted. 
Vast numbers of these fish, which resemble large 
haddock or ling, are thus prepared at Vavony 
for the distant coast and inland markets, and the 
roes are specially treated, and command a ready 
sale. We were more than once offered eggs of 
crocodiles at this village, but declined the luxury. 
The eggs of the turtle are also sold, and much 
appreciated by the poorer classes. They watch 
the animal coming up from the sea and the pro¬ 
cess of depositing its eggs, and afterwards go to 
the spot and disinter the eggs, which have been 
carefully buried by the creature in the hot sand. 
Crocodiles’ eggs are also eaten by the natives, 
and may always be purchased in any of the 
country markets. 
The passage from Andavakamenarana (the 
place of serpents), to Andevoranto, the slave- 
mart, by canoe, is very striking, and altogether 
tropical in character. The stream is so narrow 
that there is not room in places for two canoes 
to pass, and the overhanging vegetation reaches 
so low that it is constantly necessary to bend 
one’s self to avoid contact with the branches. It 
is in the depths of these woods that the rarest 
specimens of the orchid plant have been obtained, 
and it is here that the famous Malagasy lemurs 
hold their revels, darting in and out amongst the 
branches, and playing their odd tricks in the 
