birds resembling them, but smaller, which are called povos [82] and other smaller birds called mayuelas. [83] There are many wild chickens and cocks, which are very small, and taste like partridge.  There are royal, white, and grey herons, flycatchers, and other shore birds, ducks, lavancos, [84] crested cranes, sea-crows, eagles, eagle-owls, and other birds of prey, although none are used for hawking.  There are jays and thrushes as in Espana, and white storks and cranes. [85] They do not rear peacocks, rabbits, or hares, although they have tried to do so.  It is believed that the wild animals in the forests and fields eat and destroy them, namely, the cats, foxes, badgers, and large and small rats, which are very numerous, and other land animals. [86]

Throughout these islands are found a great number of monkeys, of various sizes, with which at times the trees are covered.  There are green and white parrots, but they are stupid in talking; and very small parroquets, of beautiful green and red colors, which talk as little.  The forests and settlements have many serpents, of various colors, which are generally larger than those of Castilla.  Some have been seen in the forests of unusual size, and wonderful to behold. [87] The most harmful are certain slender snakes, of less than one vara in length, which dart down upon passersby from the trees (where they generally hang), and sting them; their venom is so powerful that within twenty-four hours the person dies raving.

There are many very large scorpions in the rivers and creeks, and a great number of crocodiles, which are very bloodthirsty and cruel.  They quite commonly pull from their bancas the natives who go in those boats, and cause many injuries among the horned cattle and the horses of the stock-farms, when they go to drink.  And although the people fish for them often and kill them, they are never diminished in number.  For that reason, the natives set closely-grated divisions and enclosures in the rivers and creeks of their settlements, where they bathe.  There they enter the water to bathe, secure from those monsters, which they fear so greatly that they venerate and adore them, as if they were beings superior to themselves.  All their oaths and execrations, and those which are of any weight with them (even among the Christians) are, thus expressed:  “So may the crocodile kill him!” They call the crocodile buhaya in their language.  It has happened when some one has sworn falsely, or when he has broken his word, that then some accident has occurred to him with the crocodile, which God, whom he offends, has so permitted for the sake of the authority and purity of the truth, and the promise of it. [88]