skin of the capiiguára is very thick, and were it properly dressed, would be useful in various ways. THE OTTER. Otters swarm in the lakes and rivers of Paraguay. If I mistake not, they differ from those of Europe in no other respect than in being somewhat smaller. They are most numerous in the Abiponian territories, and those adjacent to the cities of Sta. Fè, Cordoba, and Corrientes. In the distant hordes of the Mocobios and Abipones, towards the north, there are no otters, or very few at least. The savages make use of them in various ways. They feed upon their flesh, and make cloaks of their skins. When the lakes and rivers are almost exhausted by a long drought, the Abipones go out to hunt otters. If the water is shallow enough to ford, hounds are sent forwards, and many hundreds killed with stakes in one day, though they are extremely apt to bite, and have very sharp teeth, on which account, in killing them, both the Indians and their dogs often receive wounds which are not cured in a few days. THE YGUANÀ. The yguanà, an animal of the lizard kind, closely resembles the dragon which St. George is represented overthrowing. It is sometimes more than an ell long. Its belly is large, its skin clothed with green, white, and yellow scales, elegantly varied with red. From the head to the extremity of the tail, the spine of the back is surmounted by a denticulated fin. Its thick and very long tail is marked with kinds of black rings, intermixed with red ones, and ends in a very slender point. It is furnished with large black eyes, a nose spreading as wide as the lips, short teeth, a cloven tongue, which, when irritated, it moves very quickly, four feet, and lower down five nails, wide like the sole of the foot, and covered with a thin web, which assists it in swimming; for it sometimes swims in the water, sometimes climbs trees, and sometimes lurks for a long time in corners of houses, being very patient of hunger. It never does harm to any one. It feeds upon honey, little birds' eggs, oranges, sweet citrons, and other fruits. It is incredibly tenacious of life, for after being stripped of its skin, and having received frequent wounds on the head, it will not die, till its head be severed from its body. Though the horrible form of the yguanà inspires all beholders with terror, yet its extremely white flesh delights the palates of many. Deceived by my companion, I ate it for fish, and at another time for chicken, and pronounced it exceedingly savoury. But I never could prevail upon myself knowingly to taste the yguanà, so great was the horror which I conceived of its external appearance. The yguanà lays about forty eggs in as many days; they are round, about the size of a walnut, and of a white or yellowish hue, like hens' eggs. Some people eat them fried. As they abound in their own native fat, water is poured on them instead of oil or butter. They say that little stones are