it may be sometimes months or half a year, till at last a hog comes, and while he is rooting his weight betrays him and in he falls.

"Again, sometimes they set a falling trap of an excceding weight, and under it plant roots and such like things, which the hog delights in. There are contrivances under the weeds and leaves, which when he goes to eat by touching or treading upon something fastened to the trap, it falls down upon him. These are made so artfully, that people sometimes have been caught and destroyed by them. Once in my remembrance such a trap fell upon three women and killed them. They had been stealing cotton in a plantation, and fearing lest they should be caught went to creep out at a hole, where this trap stood."

The success of the viverra ichneumon in destroying snakes is well authenticated; and it has been generally believed that this little animal applies instinctively to certain plants, which it eats as an antidote to the poison of those venomous reptiles. The plants of which this virtue is ascribed are, ophiorhiza mungos, strychnos colubrina, and ophioxylon serpentinum; but the inhabitants of Ceylon are not acquainted with any of them; and it is doubtful whether or not they are to be found in the island. The natives, however, assert that they have often seen the ichneumon attack and kill the cobra di capello, one of the most dangerous of snakes.

The musk-rat, or perfuming shrew, is only a little larger than a common mouse. It has a long tapering snout, and makes a squeaking or chirping noise. It is the cause of polluting wine by passing over the empty bottles, or the corks before they are put into the bottles. But it has not the power of tainting a bottle of wine, which is well corked and sealed up. Madeira is sometimes contaminated with musk, because it is bottled in the country; but this flavour is never found in claret which is bottled in London, or Bourdeaux.

The birds form a much more numerous class than the quadrupeds. To give a complete list of them here is impracticable, as the names of many species are unknown, and the attention of the writer has been too little directed to subjects of natural history. The most obvious, however, shall be mentioned, without attempting any particular description. Domestic fowls, similar to our most common poultry, abound in all parts of the island. Ducks, geese, and turkies are plentiful at the European settlements; but the last are not indigenous, and a sufficient number of them not being reared in the country, a constant supply is imported from the neighbouring continent. The jungle fowl is found in great abundance in the woods: it resembles the pheasant, and the flesh of it is of a superior flavour to that of the common fowl. The green pigeon is a beautiful bird, smaller than the usual size of doves, and esteemed a great 3 к

VOL. I.

delicacy. Snipes are very plentiful, and easily killed. Green paroquets appear in considerable variety. There are also fly-catchers, small partridges, sea-larks, wood-peckers, swallows, and sparrows innumerable. To these may be added the tailor, honey, and paddee birds. The lakes and rivers are frequented by a variety of the stork kind, the crane, heron, and pelican. Wild pea-fowls are numerous, as are also kites and vultures. The ingenuity which many of the smaller species of the feathered tribe display in the disposition and construction of their nests often excites admiration. But this subject has been sufficiently illustrated by those writers who have made Indian zoology their particular study. Crows abound everywhere in flocks; and an English officer appositely observed that a certain number of them appeared to be billeted on every house. They are extremely useful to the settlements in removing bones, dead insects, and all sorts of putrid substances; and are never disturbed either by the natives or foreigners.

Of reptiles there is a considerable variety. The lizard species abounds in all its gradations, from the smallest houselizard, scarce half an inch in length, to the largest alligator, fifteen feet in length, and three feet in diameter. "The house-lizard is the largest animal that can walk in an inverted situation: one of these, eight inches long, and upwards of half an inch in diameter, runs on the ceiling of a room, and in that posture seizes a cockroach with the ut

most facility. Sometimes, however, on springing too cagerly at its prey, its feet lose their hold, and it falls to the ground*." Lizards of various sizes appear in the evening round every lamp upon the house walls, where they assemble for the purpose of catching flies, which are their constant food. The grass-lizard is in length equal to those which frequent the house, but of a more slender make, greenish colours, and smooth shining skin. The guana is about eighteen inches long, and two inches in diameter. Some of the natives are fond of eating it in curry, which they say it makes of an excellent quality. Both this and the other smaller animals of the lizard species are perfectly harmless. The flying lizard, the blood-sucker, the manis or ant-eater, and chameleon, are also found in Ceylon, besides other varieties of this species, with the names of which I am unacquainted. The chameleon is remarkable for the length and elasticity of its tongue, which it darts forthwith surprising quickness, and seizes a fly at the distance of six inches from its mouth. The tongue appears no thicker than a thread, and when directed to its prey moves with instantaneous velocity.

Snakes of various sizes and descriptions are common. Amongst these are the cobra di capello, or hooded-snake, the boa, the house-snake, green-snake, and water-snake.

*Marsden's History of Sumatra.

But only the two first are poisonous; and few casualties are occasioned by them. They never bite or attack a man but in self-defence, or when come upon by surprise. During five years residence in the country, I never heard of any person suffering from them. But two dogs belonging to captain Hetzler of the Bengal artillery were killed one day by the bite of a snake, while he was shooting in the woods near Columbo. The largest serpent which I ever saw was eight feet and a half in length, and three inches in diameter: but one of smaller dimensions has been seen to destroy and swallow a hare. Snakes have in their jaws or throat a compressive force, which enables them to devour animals of three or four times their own circumference. Many stories have been told concerning them, which were never heard by any person in the country. The Cingalese, however, positively assert that there is a snake thirty feet in length, and ten inches in diameter: one of which has been taken with a hog in its belly; and in another has been found the horn of a buffalo.

"Of serpents," says Knox, "there are these sorts. The pimberah, the body whereof is as big as a man's middle, and the length proportionable. It is not swift, but by subtilty catches its prey; which are deer or other cattle. He lies in the path where the deer use to pass, and as they go, he claps hold of them by a kind of peg that grows on his tail, with which he strikes them. He will swallow a roe-buck whole,

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