The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-07
swAMPs OF THE oRrNoCo.
where FerociOus Animal Life Rests
UndIsturbed by Man.

From the Alumni Journal of the New
YORK college of Pharmacy.
The term "ferocious" will perhaps char
acterize the faunal life more fully than
any other single word can do. Nowhere
else have l ever seen the animal life so
fully provided for offense and defense as
here This statement applies to ever class
of the animal kingdom, but with special
force to its smaller members. The tigers
and tiger cats, Notwithstanding that they
were frequent visitors to the camp. enter
ing the tent, and even during the last few
nights of my stay the house itself. will
endeavor to escape from man on most oc-
casions, but the feas, jiggers, golofas. 60
ropatas and mosquitoes know neither fear
nor rest in the region where we spent the
most of our time.
Reference has already been made to the
abundance of serpents as seen when thew
are disturbed by the inundation of their
meadows. The forests are equally full
Of them. We would encounter them in the
pathway; they climbed upon the trees and
bushes, especially those overhanginR the
water; they were constant visitors to the
camp, entering the tent or house, and they
even lived in numbers in the palm leaf
thatch. Nine coral snakes were removed
in replacing the roof of the house next
adjoining ours
An erroneous idea exists as to the harm
lessness of the alligator, and it is strange
that this should have been largely pro-
NOTED by writer's on natural history. Not
only are these creatures large and nu-
merous about the delta, but they are very
ferocious, and, especially during the
Matching season, they are not slow in at
lacking man. Even the smaller members
OF the lizard family are in some cases
reported venomous and certainly do not
lack the disposition to attack human be-
ings, as we ascertained by personal OBJ
servation. No one is, of course surprised
to find ferocity among the reptilia, but 1t
does appear strange to see the birds
armed with sharp and powerful spikes
upon the wings and even with horns up
on the head. Although the latter may not
be used for offense the former certainly
are, and constitute very formidable weap-
ons. Birds OF prey are exceedingly nu-
merous in this region and have good rea-
son for being we'll armed, fur the objects
of their attention are in many If not in
most cases fitted for making desperate
resistance.
Although these visible evidences of war
fare are so conspicuous about the Lower
Orinoco, it is beyond the reach of our ordi-
nary observation, within the various wa
tiers of this strange region, that the most
desperate conflicts are waged. Surely
nothing can exceed in interest the combi-
nation of provisions for rapid and chang
ing movement and of offensive and de-
fensive armament possessed by the ami
mails of the streams and pools. The mari
cot, the principal food fish there found,
has pair of tusks like those of the wild
boar, some two inches in length, sharp
and powerful and these are supplement-
ed by set Of powerful moIars for heavy
grinding. The scissors fish" has a cut
ting under edge ito its pectoral fin, which
closes down by a succession of notches,
each holding the cutter at the point reach
ed by each successive muscular contrac-
ton. The waters swarm with electric
cells, though these are not nearly so dan
gerous as are generally believed. The
caribfsh, or piranhau, with interlocking
triangular teeth, massive head and jaws,
and ferocity which for vigor and persis-
tence is equalled only by that of the bull
dog in the entire animal kingdom, swarms
in most of the pools, and renders death
practically certain to any one obliged to
make his way by swimming for any con-
siderable distance in a pool where they
abound.