are ſcaled and beautifully ſpotted, and they have at the end of their tails a blunt-pointed, horny ſubſtance, which enables them to climb the trees.
The bite of theſe ſnakes is not venomous, nor is that of any kind of them in this iſland; but the tête du chien does much miſchief among the birds in the woods; and on the plantations they frequently devour the fowls and other poultry. They will ſwailow a full-grown fowl with its feathers; and ſeveral of them have been killed there with both a large fowl and an Indian coney entire in their bowels.
A remarkable circumſtance, which happened in this iſland ſome time ago, deſerves to be noticed in this place. A negro retiring from work one day at noon, inſtead of going home to get his dinner, fell afleep under a ſhady tree; and being miſſing at the time the ether negroes aſſembied together to finiſh their
