character of the tree is altogether different, and far more beautiful in landscape than the grey tint of the Italian olive.

The silk-cotton tree (bombax cerba, Lin.) grows luxuriantly in those districts: it produces beautiful cotton, but of too delicate a texture for manufacture. This tree is extremely curious in its growth; the branches regularly project in horizontal stages, gradually diminishing as they approach the top, forming in the Malabar woods a crimson pyramid, of singular appearance; the flower resembles a single peony, or round tulip, of bright red, succeeded by a pod, in size and shape like a plantain, green at first, but ripening to a dark brown, when it bursts open, and covers the adjoining groves with snowy flakes, light as the floating gossamer.

The animals in the southern provinces and mountainous regions of Malabar, are tigers, elephants, buffaloes, hogs, civet-cats, and a variety of monkeys and squirrels; some of the monkeys are large, and covered with black glossy hair, except a very full white beard and mustachios; which give them a venerable, and almost human appearance.

The wild buffaloe is common in many parts of Travencore: I had never before been in a country where these animals were indigenous. The Malabars, and especially the Nairs, form large hunting parties to destroy them, as also the wild elephant, tiger, and leopard. They assemble by hundreds, armed with strong spears, and large bows and arrows: forming a circle. round the thickets frequented by the wild beasts, they make a loud noise to rouse them from cover, and drive them towards the centre: then gradually con

tracting the circle, they unite in an armed phalanx, and fall upon their prey, of which very few escape: but they sometimes wound each other in their furious onset, and often sustain dreadful attacks from their enraged foe.

The buffaloe is one of the strongest and most formidable of the savage race; with short horns, powerful neck, and large tuft of hair on the head. It is justly remarked in the oriental field-sports, that his aspect is extremely fierce; he seems to look with disdain on every living object, and to rely on the great strength he possesses, to overthrow whatever may be opposed to his rage. The smallest provocation irritates him incredibly! and such is his courage, that he will sometimes attack even a group of elephants going for fodder. There cannot be a more menacing object than a single wild buffaloe, disturbed from wallowing in the mud; and the knowledge of his brutal disposition by no means allays the apprehensions to which his countenance and gestures give birth: the whole race, whether wild or tame, have an eye full of mischief, and are never, on any occasion, to be trusted.

It is commonly understood that Providence has allotted to every animal a climate suited to its nature; and a general review, throughout the universe, will add no small weight to this opinion. But to this general rule we have to plead one exception: namely, that the buffaloe of India is by no means suited to the climate of the country: that animal not only delights in the water, but will not thrive unless it have a swamp to wallow in: there rolling themselves, they speedily work deep hollows, wherein they lie immersed. No place seems to delight the buffaloe more than the deep ver

dure on the confines of pools and marshes, especially if surrounded by tall grass, so as to afford concealment and shade, while the body is covered by the water: in such situations they seem to enjoy a perfect extasy: having in general nothing above the surface, but their eyes and nostrils, the horns being low down, and consequently entirely hidden from view.

The civet-cat (viverra civetta, Lin.) so called, thongh not of the feline, but weasel genus, is a very ferocious animal, and unless taken young, extremely difficult to tame it is larger than a common cat, the body and feet shaded with dark stripes over a brindled brown; the head, eyes, and ears resemble a large rat; their food consists of birds, mice, and reptiles, for which they insidiously watch, and seize with wonderful eagerness: I kept one for some time in a wooden cage, but the smell at length became so insufferable, that I gave him liberty; for, however the perfume may be esteemed, the odour of the animal is always disagreeable. The civet, or musk, is formed in a glandular receptacle under the tail, from whence it is squeezed out by little at a time, twice or thrice a week; it is then an offensive unguent like thick greasy milk, but afterwards changes to a hard brown substance. A full-grown cat always yields more of this perfume when first caught, than after it has been any time confined.

The eastern districts of Travencore, intersected by lakes and rivers, abound with amphibious animals, especially alligators and seals. There seems to be no essential difference between the alligator of India, and the Egyptian crocodile; lacerta alligator, and lacertus crocodilus. Naturalists seem to confine the alligator to South America, the crocodile to Asia and Africa; but

THE ALLIGATOR.

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in India the lacerta crocodilus, generally called the alligator, is from five to twenty feet long, shaped like the genus to which it belongs: the back is covered with impenetrable scales; the legs short, with five spreading toes on the fore-feet, and four in a straight line on the hinder, armed with claws: the alligator moves slowly, its whole formation being calculated for strength, the back-bone firmly jointed, and the tail a most formidable weapon in the river he eagerly springs on the wretch unfortunately bathing within his reach, and either knocks him down with his tail or opens a wide mouth for his destruction, armed with numerous sharp teeth of various length; by which, like the shark, he sometimes severs the human body at a single bite: the annals of the Nile and Ganges, although wonderful, are not fabulous. The upper jaw only of the alligator was thought to be moveable; that is now completely disproved: the eyes are of a dull green, with a brilliant pupil, covered by a transparent pellicle, moveable as in birds: from the heads of those of large size, musk is frequently extracted.

The alligator sometimes basks in the sun-beams on the banks of the river, but oftener floats on its surface; there, concealing his head and feet, he appears like the rough trunk of a tree, both in shape and colour: by this deception, dogs and other animals fearlessly approach, and are suddenly plunged to the bottom by their insidious foe: even the royal tiger becomes his prey, quitting the cover to drink at the river; the wily alligator, concealed under water, steals along the bank, and suddenly emerging, furiously attacks the tiger, who never declines the combat: the alligator generally loses his eyes, and receives dreadful wounds

on the head, but at length plunges his adversary into an unnatural element, and there devours him.

The astonishing size and strength of the alligator and crocodile render them very terrible: the small ones live chiefly on fish; and far from attacking the human species, dive instantly on their approach : the female sometimes lays three or four hundred eggs, which she covers with sand to be vivified by the sun; in about a month the brood break the shell and instinctively take to the water. I kept a small one several months in a garden pool, but growing large and destructive to my poultry, I set him at liberty.

The following account of the Egyptian crocodile in the book of Job, is very descriptive of the Indian alligator: "Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook, or his tongue with a cord? Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish-spears? Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more! None is so fierce that dare stir him up. Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, shut up together, as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another; they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. By his neesings a light doth shine; and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot, or caldron. In his neck remaineth strength. His heart is as firm as a stone. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold; the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. Darts are