to and fro like one in a state of
intoxication. The people brought her immediately to me; and while I was
applying blisters and other means for extracting the poison, she died
under my hands.

I saw but few scorpions, but among them an unusually large species, of
a red colour, said to be extremely venomous. They were lying in a boggy
place, and I had no means of taking them.

One of the most formidable animals with which these islands abound, is
the crocodile, or alligator. Kar Nicobar is overrun with them, as are
all the other Nicobar islands, which have fresh-water lakes and
streams. They are of two kinds, the black kayman, and the proper
crocodile. The latter is said never to attack live creatures, but to
devour only carrion, and is therefore not considered dangerous. Of the
correctness of this opinion I had once ocular proof. I was walking at
Queda along the coast, and looking at a number of children swimming and
sporting in the water. On a sudden, I observed a large crocodile
proceed towards them from a creek. Terrified at the idea of the danger
they were exposed to, I screamed out, and made signs to some Chinese to
go to their assistance, but they laughed me to scorn as an ignorant
stranger. I really afterwards saw the monster playing about among them,
while the children diverted themselves by pretending to attack him and
drive him away. The kayman is less in size, and very fierce, seizing
upon every creature that has life, but he cannot lift anything from the
ground, as the lower jaw projects.

The bats of Nicobar are of a gigantic size; I have seen some, whose
outstretched wings measured from five to six feet across the back, the
body being the size of a common cat. They are of two kinds; the head of
one somewhat resembling a dog, and that of the other a cat; the former
making a barking, and the latter a mewing noise, when on the wing. I
never saw more than one at a time. They appear hideous, and in their
solitary flight resemble a cloak in motion, chiefly and awkwardly
perching upon the mango tree, the fruit of which they eat, breaking
down the smaller branches, till they light upon such as are able to
bear their weight.

Of birds, I shall only notice one, called by some the Nicobar
swallow[3], but I will not venture to determine its generic character.
It is the builder of those eatable nests, which constitute one of the
luxuries of an Indian banquet. These birds are called _Hinlene_ by the
natives, and b