HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
6 9 
the centipedes and the scorpion. The Fprmicaleo lays its sriares for the ants; the 
green fly stings the car.crelas; the lizard pursues the butterfly; the spider prepares its 
nets for every insect that flies; and the hurricanes which formerly arrived every year, 
destroy both the pursuer and the pursued* 
Animals brought into the Isle of France. 
Foreign fish have been even brought to this place. The G our am comes from 
Batavia. It is a fresh-water fish, and is esteemed to be the best inthe Indies. It 
is like the salmon, but more delicate. Here are also the gold-fish from China; which 
lose their beauty, as: they increase, in sizte. These two species multiply in the-pools. 
Several ineffectual -attempts have been made to transport frogs, .hither, which eat the 
eggs which the Moustifut -deposits' 6.n the stagnant waters. , 
A.bird has. been brought from the Cape which is extremely useful. The Dutch 
call it the..Gardener’s Friend.. , . 1 . 
It is of a brown colour, and the size of a large’ sparrow. It feeds on worms, 
caterpillars,: and small snakes. But it not only eats them ; italso-pr.Qyidesrajstore 
for its future wants,by hanging them- up on the hedges ;.. and.if deprived of it's, liberty; 
will contrive to suspend a portion of the meat which is given to it, on the'wires of 
its cage. • . 
The Martin has multiplied very niuch indeed, in this island. It is a. kind of Indian 
starling, with a yellow beak and claws. It scarcely differs from that oTEurdpe but 
in its plumage, which is less spotted. It ha;s the same warble, the same aptitude to 
articulate words, and the same actions. It counterfeits other birds, and settles on 
animals to pluck their hair; but it is most remarkable for its greedy consumption 
of grasshoppers. They always go in pairs;. and at sunset asssemble. in.thousands, 
on certain trees which they prefer. After a general warbling, the whole flight goes 
to rest; and at break of d^y they disperse in pairs through different parts of the 
island. This bird is not eatable. ^ . i 
Several couple of Ravens had been let loose, in the woods, tQ.i.destroy ithe rats 
and micq, of which there remain but three males. The inhabitants.-accused them 
of devouring their chickens. 
It is not possible to pass.over the mischief occasioned by the Cape Bird,>a kind 
of small singing bird which is very, melodious. They .were. at:, first broughtbere 
from curiosity, but some of them escaped into the woods, wherejtfiey have greatly 
