silence. We shall, therefore, give a brief description of two, the moscheto and the fire-fly.

The moscheto is well known in most of the tropical regions; on the continent and islands it is alike at home. It is a species of the gnat kind, which it much resembles. As these insects seek their food by night, they are excessively troublesome to the inhabitants, and particularly so to those who have but just landed on the coasts. They bite with particular venom, and the skin commonly blisters whenever it has been perforated by them; and sometimes these blisters terminate in obstinate sores. The inhabitants of low and woody parts, to which these disturbers of tranquillity resort, are frequently obliged to raise a considerable smoke about their habitations, to disperse these unwelcome visitors; and in most parts they are compelled to sleep with a species of net thrown over their beds, to prevent annoyances in the night. On some parts of the main they swarm in such abundance, as not only to render the lives of the inhabitants uncomfortable by their bites and buzzings, but even precarious and hazardous.

Another most curious and extraordinary insect, very common in Jamaica, and mostly met with in the mountains and inland parts, is the large fire-fly, thus described by Browne: "This insect is of an oblong form, about an inch or better in length, and moderately broad in proportion. It is very strong and elastic; and being thrown on its back, will sometimes spring to the height of four or five inches above the level on which it is placed. This insect, besides the peculiarity of its spring, is one of the greatest curiosities the island affords; for it really is a perfect phosphorus for a considerable part of its life, most of its internal parts being at times luminous. But though the luminous rays flow naturally from the insect while awake, it seems to have the power of interrupting them at pleasure, and then they are quite opake. A person may, with great ease, read the smallest print by the light of one of these insects, if held between the fingers, and moved gradually along the lines, with the luminous spots immediately over the letters; but eight or ten of them being put in a clear phial, will give light enough to read and write by it very clearly. They are seldom seen in the day-time, but wake with the evening, and continue to move and glow for a considerable part of the night. They fly very disorderly in general, and their frequent obscure intervals render their flight still more confused; but they move towards each other, for nature seems to have given them these luminous powers to distinguish one another; and hence the negroes have learned the art of holding one between their fingers, and waving it up and down, so that it may be seen by others, who

fly directly towards it, and pitch upon the hand. They will do the same, when, for want of one of their species as a decoy, the negroes take a burning stick, or a candle, and wave it up and down, if they do not discover the deceit before they come too near. They are so drowsy and torpid by day, that it is a difficult matter to make them shew any sign of life; and if they do, it is only to fall into the same state immediately after; yet, while they keep awake, they are luminous, though they recover their full vigour only with the night."

Sloane says, that these fire-flies have four lights, two about the eyes, and two under the wings; and that they are frequently caught, and carried to the habitations of men, because they hunt and destroy the mosquetos, and take them about the persons that sleep in hammocks. The luminous rays of this insect continue in full vigour till they grow hungry, when they begin gradually to languish, and the insect will expire unless discharged from this state of confinement.

Of reptiles there are several classes, both of the serpent and lizard tribe, common to all the West India Islands: but the Yellow Snake is the most known in Jamaica; it is frequently from eight to sixteen or twenty feet in length. These serpents have a horny protuberance on each side of the anus, which may, upon occasion, help them in climbing trees, which they often do with great ease. The yellow snakes* move but slow

*On this extraordinary reptile, Sir Hans Sloane has made some observations which cannot fail to entertain the curious, who have not had an opportunity of inspecting his work.

The Yellow Snake is for the most part to be found in the woody mountains, coiled up in the paths as ropes in a ship. They are not hurtful, unless irritated; nor will they bite, unless they have their young near them, and it is in their defence. Their bitings rarely prove mortal, although sometimes the wounds are very much swelled and inflamed-prove tedious in curing, and are much worse than those inflicted by the black snake.

They feed on birds and rats, which they swallow whole, without any incon veniency. Many have been killed with thirteen or fourteen rats in each of their bellies.

The Indians (Sloane observes) catch them without any difficulty. An Indian, who had brought him several, used to take them behind the neck so that they could not bite him, and then permit them to twist about his arm with their bodies as they pleased. When disposed to kill them, his method was, to put the tail of what he had taken under his foot, and to hold the neck in his hands; and then, stretching the snake till the back bone was either injured or dislocated, and pinching or twisting the lungs with violence, soon accom plished his purpose.

A hunter told Sloane, that once hearing his companion groan lying by him, he saw that by a snake twisting itself about him he could not speak. Seeing his companion in that dangerous situation, he immediately obtained a stick, on fire at one end, which he held towards the snake. On perceiving the ap proaching brand, the reptile stretched out its head, and began to hiss; which

ly, catching their prey more by stealth or chance than by agility but when they fix themselves upon a tree, their length generally enables them to seize every thing they can manage that passes underneath; for they wind their tail part round some limb, and stretch the fore part downwards.

The Silver Snake of Jamaica, which is but rarely to be found,

the man perceiving, seized the opportunity, and instantly cut off its head, The body of the snake, after some time, relaxed its hold, and the man, who had been detained a prisoner, was set at liberty. He related that his situation was such, that he could not long have survived, without being rescued from his imprisonment. Sloane conceives that the circulation of the blood was stopped by the twisting of the snake: and by this means we may easily conceive that it might destroy any animal which it could encircle within its folds.

They in general nestle about old cabbage trees, hollow stumps, &c. If the places of their retreat are explored, and cleft with an axe or other instru ment, as soon as light enters they thrust out their heads, and are soon dispatched.

But since these reptiles are the avowed enemies of the rats, which are so destructive to the sugar-canes, the planters are not solicitous to destroy the race. Interest, which associates with man in general, and interweaves itself with the majority of his actions, affords protection to the most noxious reptiles. It is, perhaps, extremely difficult to say in what region we shall fix its bounds, though I am by no means an advocate for its universal application. But the real Christian alone is an exception.

Noxious, however, as these reptiles are, they are not destitute of sagacity; and they are capable of acquiring docility, since they may be tamed. "I had one of this kind (says Sloane) tamed by an Indian for me: it would follow the Indian as a dog would his master.".

A snake thus domesticated by an Indian was given to Sir Hans Sloane; which, together with a guana and an alligator, he designed to bring with him into England; but unfortunately he failed in respect to them all. The snake was preserved in a large jar, the mouth of which was covered over with boards, and these boards secured with weights, It was fed every day with the entrails of fowls, and such other articles as the kitchen produced, and seemed for some time highly pleased with its situation. Confinement at length grew irksome, and the snake (which was about seven feet in length) forced aside the boards which covered the jar, and obtained its freedom. It then got to the top of a large house, the inhabitants of which, not liking such company, shot it dead.

The guana was put on board, and lived at large for some time; till one day, as it was running over the gunwale of the vessel, it was frightened by one of the seamen, jumped overboard, and was drowned.

The alligator continued some time longer, but did not live to reach the port of its destination. It embarked on the 16th of March, 1688, and was confined in a large tub filled with salt water, and was fed with nearly the same food that had been given to the snake. It continued from that time to the 14th of May following, when, without any particular accident, it died.

For the substance of this note I am indebted to Sir Hans Sloane. The par ticulars have been collected from different pages of his work, and in several parts inserted in his own language. The materials may be found in voļ. ii, pages 335, 336, and 346.

is remarkably small, when compared to the yellow snake which we have just described. It seldom exceeds sixteen inches in length, is larger in proportion to its length, and is generally found in the hollow parts of decayed trees. One thing remarkable in the silver snake is, that the anus is placed so near the mouth, that it has sometimes been taken for it. They are generally considered as extremely venomous, though specific instances of their poison have rarely occurred.

The large Black Snake, more active and slender than either of the foregoing, is also an inhabitant of Jamaica. It is about twelve feet in length, and towards the tail is more tapering than even the yellow snake. In common with all others of a similar species, it is deemed poisonous; but it seems to be a character unsupported by proof.

The small Black Snake differs from the former by its size, its slender make, and its extreme activity. It rarely exceeds three feet in length, and is thought by many to be exceedingly venomous, though no mischief was ever known to be done by it. These serpents are plentiful in most of the islands, and are not easily intimidated. They frequently erect themselves on the hinder part of their bodies, and assume in moments of danger very formidable attitudes; and this circumstance probably has procured for them that character which they have not otherwise merited.

The Alligator or Crocodile is of the lizard species, though differing from the general tribe in many essential particulars; as, first, with respect to its size, which is monstrous, being from fourteen to twenty-four feet in length. It moves very slowly on the ground, and generally seeks its prey in the water; but when any small animals come in its way on land, within reach, it seizes them eagerly, and soon destroys them. This creature has a strong musky scent, by which it is frequently discovered at a distance; and its eyes are like those of the cat and shark. The alligator has been observed to live for many months without any visible sustenance; which experiment has been frequently tried at Jamaica, by tying their jaws with wire, and putting them, thus tied up, into a pond, well, or water-tub, where they live for a considerable time; but often rise to the surface to take breath. Though the shape of the body is like the lizard, it differs in having the whole surface covered over in appearance like a tortoise; but the skin may be more properly said to be hardened into a horny substance from space to space, than to be furnished with real scales. The tail is oblong, pointed, and nearly quadrilateral. These creatures lay their eggs in the sand: the eggs are somewhat larger than those of

a goose, and, as they are pretty transparent, readily shew us the first formation and growth of the animal.*

The next species of lizards is the Great Lizard, called also the Guana. It has a long, forked, muscular tongue, divided toes, and a scaly skin: it lives a considerable time without food, and changes its colour with the weather, or the moisture of its place of residence. It is supposed to live upon imperceptible particles, lapped up in the air; for it is observed frequently to throw out its forked tongue like the chameleon,† as it walks along; and is never seen to touch any thing on the ground.

The flesh of this creature is relished by many people, served up in fricassees at table, and thus prepared is preferred by many to the best fowls. Father Labat corroborates this use of this species of the lizard as a delicious food, for which purpose the negroes in the French islands are employed to catch them. This is accomplished in the following manner: the negro carries with him into the fields a long rod, at one end of which

* The Scorpion of the West Indies is too conspicuous among the enemies of mankind to be entirely omitted in this brief description. The scorpion is a native of many regions, and it is generally said that in cold countries it loses its venom. In most of the sugar plantations it is well known; but its chief places of residence are in dry uninhabited houses, and decayed buildings. It is a creature which seems destitute of fear, and is at once vigilant and daring. When threatened with approaching danger, instead of attempting to retreat, it assumes an undaunted resolution, and puts itself in a posture of defence. Its sting is in its tail, which it erects, darts forward, and exposes in every gesture of defiance. When any animal approaches within its reach, it is seized with the utmost avidity; and the sting, which is accompanied with malignant poison, is darted into the creature with very great virulence. The wound inflicted by the sting, and contaminated by poison, is extremely pain ful; and those parts which lie contiguous soon put on a livid appearance. The utmost care must be taken, in dressing the wounded part, to prevent the poisonous matter from spreading, and to preserve the patient from falling by a mortification. The scorpion has some distant resemblance to a lobster.

+ The Chameleon may also be reckoned among the residents of Jamaica, and is certainly of the lizard tribe. It is a native of the eastern continent, and was originally imported into this island from the coast of Guinea. The head is disproportionably large, the jaws well stored with teeth, and the sockets of the eyes deeply sunk in the head. It has four feet, and on each foot the toes or claws are disposed somewhat like those of a parrot. It chiefly resides in the woods, and frequently takes its station on the slender branches of trees, on which it sustains itself with the greatest steadiness. In its movements it is extremely slow, though it is supported by preying upon the most active of the insect tribe. But though its motions are tardy, they are performed with so much ease and address, that its approaches are rarely suspected by the devoted prey. Advanced within a certain distance, it poizes its body as occasion may require, and uncoiling its long slender tongue, darts with inconceivable swiftness, and rarely fails to seize its prey. Another surprising circumstance, which tends to facilitate its success, is, that it changes its colour with its station, and by putting on the complexion of every twig and branch over which it passes, exhibits one of the most astonishing phenomena in nature.