tables. The flesh is an agreeable and wholesome food. The beavers are not numerous. Some are found in the upper parts, which the Indians say are idlers, that have been expelled from the industrious society in Canada. The pole cat, or skunk, is here about the size of a common cat, and its fur is soft, and of a whitish colour. The wood rat is numerous. It feeds on nuts, acorns, Indian corn, and poultry. The flesh tastes like that of a sucking pig, and has often served as the only food of distressed travellers. The porcupine is seen in the woods. The rabbit, to avoid his numerous enemies, and the annual inundation, lodges in the highest part of the decayed trunks of trees. Of squirrels there are four distinct species. In the meadow ground, called Prairie Mamou, there is a species of mole, which throws up mounds of earth from twelve to eighteen inches in height, and from ten to twelve in diameter. At Sarcalouga a kind of mouse is often seen, all white, with red eyes. The green cantharides fly is as large as the common bee. The fire-fly is very numerous; as is also the musquito, which is extremely troublesome, especially in the evenings and mornings, near the lakes and marshes. The wood louse, or Chigo, or Bete Rouge, (Acanus sanguinis,) though so small as to be almost imperceptible, is also very troublesome; and particularly to the barefooted negroes. The winged insect, called Cerf volant, flies against the face, and is dangerous to the eye. The ravet destroys paper and clothes. The mahacat-vers palmiste of Martinico is here an inch in length, whitish, and transparent, with a brownish

head. There is a venomous spider, of a large size, a light grey colour, with small white spots upon its limbs. There is also a venomous water-spider, which is seen on the sand of the lakes. Among the useful insects are the silk-worm and honey-bee. Among the noxious are the tobacco-worm and locust. Some of the last, which are seen in the meadows, are between two and three inches in length, with large purple wings. Numerous serpents infest the woods and low lands. The alligator, called by the Spaniards Corman, is found in all the waters, as high as the Arkansas river; but they are most numerous in the bayous and lakes of the stagnant waters. The largest are nine or ten feet in length. Dupratz saw one which measured nineteen feet. It is not dangerous, except when attacked or wounded; but hogs and other domestic animals often become its prey. The Indians and blacks are fond of the tail of this horrible monster, which the unfortunate De La Salle and his companions were obliged to eat; and, to their great surprise, found it not disagreeable. There are several kinds of tortoises, one of which, that was seen at Baton Rouge, is described by French travellers to be of a monstrous size, and of such prodigious strength, as to be able to break a bar of iron with his paws. Dumont mentions, that, on the upper parts of the river Arkansaw, where they are most numerous, he saw 3000 assembled, on a piece of ground not more than sixty or eighty feet in length; and of so great a size, that one was sufficient for the repast of four or five persons. Frogs are numerous, but none are

so large as those seen by Dumont at the Arkansaw, which roared as loud as an ox, had eyes as large as that animal, and weighed thirty-two pounds.

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Fishes. These are cat-fish, in the Mississippi river, weighing from 60 to 120 pounds. They are eatable, but not very palatable. Carp, called Buffalo-fish, from two to four feet in length. The best of these inhabit the lakes. The sturgeon are but about three feet in length, with a soft shelly covering, resembling in some sort a sea turtle. Sheep's head is also found; and a fish, called by the French La Barre, about five feet in length, and as thick as a man's waist, at the outlet of Pascagoula. Pearl fish, or Barble, called by the French La Barbue; there are two kinds, the largest of which is from two to four feet in length; the other about half the size. It is wholesome, but rather insipid. The mullet is found in the lakes, and is about the size of a herring. It is dried and cured by some of the inhabitants. The Burgo Breaker, Casse Burgo, is more than a foot in length. It is a firm and delicate fish, and is eaten for breakfast. The old wife, or hickery shad, inhabits the waters near the Delta. The pike is about a foot in length, but is rarely caught. The sprat, sardine, or small pilchard, (Clupea sprattus,) is about six or seven inches, and is common, as is the fresh water mullet, roach, or patassa. Eels of a large size are found in both the rivers and lakes. The thornback is found as high as New Orleans, near the limits of salt water. The armed fish, which is found only in the lakes, is about three feet in length, and is armed with long teeth and scales,

the tissue of which is like the seed of the pine tree, and of so hard a texture as to resist the stroke of the hatchet. The stingray inhabits the shallowest waters, near the Gulf of Mexico. Of shell fish there are oysters, lobsters, craw-fish, shrimps, mussels.

Birds.-The wild turkey, tufted woodcock, heath hen; the wood pigeon, which are very numerous in the winter; wild duck, pigeon, and other water fowl, are abundant. The paroquet, the eagle, swan, crook, or saw-bill; the hatchet-bill, or red foot; ivory-bill, kingfisher, halcyon, corbijeau; the pelican, or grand gosier, which has a pouch or reservoir for food, large enough to hold four or five gallons; flamingo, buzzard, or carrion crow of the Antilles; the owl, woodpecker, blackbird, ortolan, swallow, wren, and humming bird. It has been remarked, that most of the fowl of the northern lakes frequent those of Louisiana in winter. Swan, geese, brant, and ducks, are so numerous on the lakes of Red river, that their noise is often stunning.

Population. In the year 1712, when the colony was granted to Crozat, the population consisted of 400 whites, and twenty negro slaves. A great number of slaves were afterwards imported from the coast of Guinea, and distributed by the company among the inhabitants of the colony at the rate of 1000 livres a-head, payable in three years, in the produce of the country. The population of the state, according to the census of 1810, amounted to 86,556, distributed among the different parishes as follows:

The following estimate was made in 1814, the state being divided into three great sections: 1. The northwest section, including Red river and the Washita country, of 21,649 square miles, 12,700 inhabitants; 2. The-south-west, including those of Opelousas and Atakapas, 12,100 square miles, 13,800; 3. The southeast, including New Orleans and West Florida, 12,120, 75,200. * In all, 101,700.