I went to visit the great resort of the fox-bats, on a branch of the river leading to the sea. We found them in immense numbers within the grounds owned by mendicant Talapoys, whereon were many temples in a state of ruin. These birds were hanging by their claws, head downward, where they remain during the day, occupying the limbs of many hundreds of large trees. Having procured some, we measured one, and found it was forty-three inches in length, measuring from one extremity of its wings to the other: it has the head of a fox; the body is covered with long hair, and it has a most unsavoury, strong, foxy smell; it uses its teeth when fighting, but its main defence is in a hooked claw, placed at the middle joint of the wings, by which it occasionally suspends itself. In walking about the grounds of the pagodas, we observed hundreds of small conical mounds, which had been moulded by a form made of plantain stock, and surmounted by small paper flags fastened to a slender rod; these were said to be offerings made by some votaries of Budhistical nonsense. In passing up the river a day or two since, we saw a snake of about twelve feet in length, and about eight inches in circumference; he was swimming about close to our boat, and did not appear to notice us, excepting when we struck at him with a paddle. Crows, vultures, and sparrows, abound every where, and we find the former very annoying to us, occupying the trees in the area of our house, pouncing upon the cooks’ premises, continually, and carrying off large pieces of meat or fish. The most common reptiles about our premises are lizards; several beautiful species are found every where. We have, among others, the tokay or ghecko in great numbers. This name is given to it here from its singular harsh and monotonous cry, which sounds like its name, to-kay. Throughout the night, these noises are made at intervals, probably of half an hour, commencing with a loud cry, and gradually growing weaker, making pauses of perhaps five or six seconds, between the cries; they are repeated from three to nine or ten times before exhaustion takes place. These reptiles are frequently seen eighteen inches in length, having red and light-green spots, with many tubercles. Fish are abundant in the Menam, and the Siamese, notwithstanding their pretended aversion to taking animal life, do not hesitate to eat fish, flesh, or fowl, if it is killed for them. All these articles are sold daily. Beef is not to be had but there is plenty of pork. Fruit is by no means abundant here at this season, although this is said to be the greatest fruit country in all Asia. A few small mangoes have made their appearance, but the stones are so large that little fruit is to be found on them. We have seen no oranges excepting those brought by China junks--a few poor watermelons and guavas, which are a tasteless fruit, and plantains, bananas, and cocoa-nuts: the latter are in abundance, and the water from the young ones is very refreshing.