112

ANTS-WASPS-BUTTERFLIES, &c.

larger size, and black colour in the body, armed with yellow claws, chiefly confined to the forests.

The Mary Bunter, or Guyana Wasp is not so large as those usually found in England, but its sting is much more painful, so much so that very often they will draw blood from each sting leaving a troublesome wound. There is another wasp, above an inch long, but very slender in shape, the body of a purple colour, legs yellow, sting very long, their nests are in the roofs of houses, or in hollow trees.

The largest of the Ants, of which there are abundance in the colonies, is

The Black Ants, about three quarters of an inch in length; they build their nests deep in the earth, fetching their materials from the higher parts of trees; the bite causes considerable pain.

The White Ants, nearly as large as the preceding, form their habitations on the upper part of a tree, of incrusted earth, several feet in circumference, and containing many covered alleys. They are very destructive to household furniture if they take up their residence in a dwelling.

The Red Ant is a very destructive insect; its march is in dense columns of myriads at a time, destroying and devouring every thing in the way. These vermin, in utter contempt of the safeguard of lock and key, make their way through the smallest crevice, and take up their abode as long as any thing in the shape of food remains; it is said indeed that they will cover the whole body of a sleeping person, and there stick with the tenacity of leeches until satisfied. They have even been known to cause the death of animals, by lodging themselves in the hollow part of the foot and eating their way clear to the bone.

Butterflies are very numerous, and of every colour that it is possible to conceive; they are much larger than those of Europe, very similar in shape, but far surpassing them in splendor and variety of tints and shades.

The Chigre is a small species of sand-fly, which insinuates itself into the skin of the feet and toes, and if not disturbed,

ICHTHYOLOGY OF BRITISH GUYANA.

113

penetrates between the skin and the flesh, and forms a bag in which it encloses itself and deposits its eggs, which are very numerous; in a few days this bag increases to the size of a pea, when it bursts, and the young brood begin to form other bags; so that if not timely prevented they occasion severe ulcers, which are healed with considerable difficulty. There are several other insects which, like the former, enter the skin, but are not so formidable, as they only occasion an itching, and are easily destroyed by washing with soap and lemon juice.

Before quitting the animated portion of Guyana it may be considered necessary to give some description of its—

ICHTHYOLOGY. As may be expected, from the numerous rivers and extensive flat coast, British Guyana teems with fresh and salt water fish of every possible variety; as yet we are imperfectly acquainted with this as well with the other kingdoms of nature, and I therefore gladly avail myself of the long experience and scientific knowledge of several gentlemen* to whom I am under many obligations for details relative to the important Colonies of Britain on the American Continent.

The Low Low (of the genus Silurus) † is the largest fish of the tropical rivers, very often measures twelve feet in length, weighing upwards of two cwt.; the head, which is flat and broad, is covered with a strong bony plate extending to the first back fin. This plate, as well as the first ray of the dorsal and pectoral fins is a small spine, studded with white bony tubercles; the bones of the fins, about five inches long and sharply pointed, are most formidable weapons of defence, and can be erected or depressed as occasion requires. The

* Dr. Hancock and Mr. Hillhouse of Demerara, formerly an officer of the staff corps, and now a Surveyor, who, it is melancholy to think, has received so little encouragement from the local Government in his arduous and meritorious efforts to extend our knowledge of British Guyana.

+ The genus Silurus have a remarkable peculiarity, noticed by Mr. Hillhouse, namely, that of the young fry entering the mouth of the female fish in cases of danger. I have observed the same with the shark, or a nearly similar fish on the Madagascar coast.

114

THE LOW LOW, sun fish, teTRODEN, &c.

back is of a bluish cast, belly white, mouth and fins yellow, hinder parts reddish. The Low Low feeds chiefly upon other fish, and although of so large a size is considered excellent eating.

The Gillbagre (Silurus) a sea fish, called by the Indians Weerokotoory, is similar in every respect to the preceding, but does not attain half the weight or size of the Low Low, the swim or sound of the former contains a highly glutinous substance equal to that of the sturgeon. Although rather hard as food it is exceedingly well flavoured.

The Cuirass, is of the same genus, and scarcely differing from the last-mentioned except in its colour, and in its not affording the isinglass substance peculiar to that species.

The Cum Cum is in its general conformation like the cuirass, to which it also bears a resemblance in colour, but is slightly darker, rather more slender in shape, and consequently not so heavy. It feeds upon crabs and insects, and is well flayoured.

The Lucannany, or Sun Fish, is seldom more than seven or eight pounds in weight, or two feet in length; it has in its tail a golden circle that renders it perceptible to the Indians at the depth of three or four feet in the water, who shoot it with barbed arrows called wayuwakassy. It feeds upon smaller fish and insects, and it is excellent food, being firm, fat, and with but few bones. Owing to its extreme lusciousness it is difficult to salt or dry.

The Arawan is between two and three feet in length, its body somewhat compressed and covered with large scales, edged with a beautiful scarlet. As food this fish is particularly fine, but, like the last treated of, very fat and luscious.

The Tetroden, or Swell Belly (so called from the power it possesses of inflating its body into a globular form, with only its head and tail slightly protruding, and in this state swimming almost out of the water,) is seldom more than six inches long, the body of a yellowish brown colour, crossed on the back with black bands. It is a very voracious fish, and considered fatally poisonous.

THE STING RAY, PYARA, ARAPAIMA, &c.

115

The Haimora (Esox) is a fine fish, growing to the length of four feet, and twelve pounds in weight. The power of its teeth and jaws is sufficient to cut off a man's hand at the wrist; it is exceedingly voracious, preying upon fish half its size, is excellent eating, and forms the principle article of food with the Accaways of the Demerara river.*

The Pyara is four or five feet in length, and weighs twelve pounds. It is remarkable for the length of the two lower front teeth; on the full grown male they are four inches long, fitting into two flexible apertures between the nostrils; it swims with great strength and velocity, and attacks all other fish. It is not particularly esteemed as food being coarse and bony.

The Cumuruaa is a large fish, in most respects similar to the haimora, with very large scales; it is good eating, and inhabits the creeks and rivers.

The Separie, or Sting ray, is in form much like the salt water sting ray, with a long tapering tail like a whiplash, and a narrow membranous fin, extending about eight inches on the under side, backward from the point opposite the thorn, which is a strong sharp white pointed bone, four inches long, barbed on both sides, and a most formidable weapon, with which the Indians very often mount their arrows:-a wound inflicted by them is very difficult to heal and apt to mortify, for which reason the fish has been said to be poisonous, but the extreme laceration occasioned by it† no doubt gave rise to this assertion.

The Arapaima, a large fish but little known to ichthyologists in general, is between six and seven feet long and five

* The Indians have an ingenious mode of catching this fish, by means of a trap made of a cylindrical piece of bark, about five feet long and six inches in diameter, which, after being stopped at one end, and a live fish fastened to the bottom, is suspended horizontally by a string tied to the branch of some neighbouring tree, at about two feet below the surface; the haimora then, attracted by the bait, puts his head beyond the centre, the lower end of the cylinder sinks, it becomes vertical and the fish, enclosed with its head downwards, is beyond the possibility of escape.

These fish lie concealed under the mud, and very often inflict severe wounds on the feet of the Indians.

116

THE PERI-CARTABAC, PACOU, &c.

inches broad, and weighs about seventy pounds; of a silver grey on the back; belly white; the outside of the pectoral fins a vivid green; the scales are large, and their margins, particularly along the inferior and posterior parts, marked with a brilliant red or scarlet; the head is elongated, and the snout also, like that of a hog; teeth very small and sharp. This fish is very shy, and seldom caught.

The Peri is about two feet in length, of a flat shape, with a large head, wide mouth, and very sharp teeth. It has a fin on each side of the belly, and a single fin on the back, which is covered with shining scales of a blueish colour. It lives in fresh water, and is very rapacious, very often snapping off the legs of ducks and other water fowl, or even a man's foot; but the Indians, in order to frighten them, keep in constant motion while bathing, in which case the fish always remains at a distance.

The Cartabac is from fifteen to eighteen inches long; back of a darkish colour; sides light red or orange; belly white; the fins very soft and fleshy, and the whole body covered with small scales. It feeds on fruits, seeds,* and insects, and is excellent food, being fat and containing few bones; the taste somewhat resembles turbot.

It

The Pacou is from sixteen to twenty-four inches in length, sub-oval in shape, with very small scales, of a silver grey ground colour, beautifully spotted with bright scarlet. chiefly feeds upon aquatic plants and seeds,† and is, when well prepared, quite a delicacy.

* This fish is peculiarly fond of the seed of the carassa, and is in the highest state of perfection in the month of June, when that seed falls from the trees. The Indians boil the seed and, enclosing it in a small basket, lower it about two feet in the water, and as the fish appears to devour it, shoot them with arrows.

↑ The Weyra, an aromatic vegetable, eaten by the Pacou and other gregarious fishes, is thus employed by the Indians for the purpose of taking that valuable fish. A part of the falls, where the Weyra grows plentifully, and where shoals of the Pacou are perceived feeding, is enclosed with a wall of loose stones, about a foot above the surface of the water, leaving