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    We shall hiwe so many extracts to make that we must refrain from occup ying spftoa with comment . All we could say would bat point in one directwn , namely ^ -get the book ! As whets to the appet it e we will seleet a few of the extnaetabl * passages .. ¦ *

    . CATOHHKJ A BOA . 5 , w £ lightliedJ jjjjjJ : tta . neck to a good -Led sSck * b 5 Bn £ * the SSKffi movements , and apnesred , newly to stop respiration . It was about ten feet long , and very large , being as thick as * man ' s , thigh . Hera it lay writhing about for two or three dayl dragging it * clog along with it , sometunea stretching its mouth open with a-most suspicS yawn , and twiatmg , ap the end of its tail into a very tight cnVl At leneth wa-LS Uth the manto parade it forl ****** ( 4 s . « d . J « 5 so fitted « p a bSf wff bSTat the top , and got t * e seller to put it mto the cage . It Immediatel y began making np for lost tune brbwatlun ^ mosfrTiolBn ^ the expiation s soundinglike higVpreaKrre stefm escaping ft i * f ? Western ; locomotare . This it continued for som * lioum , making about K andalalfuiafiitataoiM-per minute , * nd then , settled down into silence , wliichlt-aftarwaSs . maintained , unless , when disturbed oc irritated . ^«* imu ™» cu » . « TOoi ^ a it wiia without food for more than a week , the birds we gave it were refused even when alive . Bate are said to be their favourite food , but these we could not procure These serpent * are not at all uncommon ^ even dose to the ci ty , and are-considered quite harmless .. £ nej ; afe-eaught by pushing a , large stick under them , wfcea they twist round it and thfiicheadbeiag then cautiously seized and tied to the stick , they are easily carried home . ' o

    Here is a . good correction of the : extreme views of Lamarck ^ with , reference , to the modifying powers of circumstance \ there is , however , niueU . to be said per contra were this the occasion : In alLw . orka > on . Natural History , we conBtantlr find , details of the marvellous adaptation of animals to their food ,, their babita , and the localities in . which they are found . But aaturalists are now beginning to look beyond this , and to see that there-must be some otier principle regulating ; the mfuritery varied forms or animal lift . It mttsfc strike ^ every one , that toe numbers or birds and insects of different groups , having scarcely any resemblaoiee to eaeh other , / which yefcfeed on the same food : and inhabit the same localities , cannot have been , so differently constructed ancLadorned for that purpose alone . Thus the goatsuckers , the swallows , the tyrant flycatchers , and the jacamais , aU use the same kind of food ,, and procure it in the same manner : they all capture insects on the wingi yet how entirely

    dffiferant Btfae- trtraeture- and tfitt whole- appearance- © f these birds ! The swallows * with thflir powerful : whzgsy ace almostentirely inhabitants of the ; air ; the goatsuckers , nearly allied to , than * , but af a . much , weaker structure ,, and . with largely developed eyes , ate semi > ooctnrnal birds , sometimes fl . ying t in the evening , in . company with , tha swallows , but most frequently settling ^ on tha ground , seizing their prey by short flights from it , and then retarmng t < rthe saahe spot . The fly ^ -cateliers are strong-legged , "btttf short ? -winged birds , which can perch j bmt cannot fly- with the ease of the swallows : they generally seat themselves on . a liareitree ^ and : from 1 fc watehjfbr' any inseets which , may come within reach of a short swoop ,, and witch them broad , bills and wfda gape enable them to ^ eize . But with tha jacamara this is not the case v their bills , aie long and . ' pointed—in fact , & weak kingfisher ' s bill—yet they have -gTmflar habits to the preceding :, they sit on branches in open parts of tBff forest , from thence flying after insects , which they xatch on the winft and then return to their former atatiaik to ^ devonr them . Then there are the trogons , with a strong serrated inn uhhb saoAioe Diiaa tiu

    * , nuuuu nnurjiBDira ; , ' uura : numuung' - t uwugn » y geaerauy procure insects from tha-flttvers , often take them onthe wiBgfBka any other fissirostral bird . " "What , birds can have their bills more . peculiarly formed than the ibis , the spoonbill , and the lierqn ?; yet they maybe seen side by side , picMng up the same food from the shallow water orrthe >^ eadi ^ and on- opening tfaenrstomachsj we find the same little Crustacea and ehefl-iish ini them : « JL Then ) among th » fruit-eating birds , there ate pigeons , parrots , toucans * , and . chatterers ,- —families ? as . distincfc and- widely separated ; as goasiblay- —which jet may be often ; seen . feeding ; all together- on . the same tre&j form , thejforastsof SouthAmenca , certain fruits are favourites with almost every kind of fruit-eating "bird . It has been asmmed by Corner writers on Natural History , tttat every w ' lld * fruit is the food of some bird or aanniaJ ^ and tba 4 > the > varied fbiins and struchu ^ oF the ir mo uths may Da necessitated by thaptcuiiar eharactar of the fruits they ace to feed ; on ; hut there is more of imagination than fact in this statement :, tbft number of wild- fisuitB fusnishing food for birds- is very iimited , and . bioda . of the most varied structure'and . of every size w 2 l be found visiting , the same tree ; ' .

    JL TB . OFl . CA . Tt SCE 1 TK . "BWcverj about ten o ' clock we reached the mouth of the igari p ^ , or small stream , we ware to'ascend , ani I was very glatf to get into- still water . We stftvadt for breakfast in a littl » ckac space under m . fine tree , and ! enjoyed ! m . cup of coffee ana a little biscuit , while the men luxuriated , on fish and farmbtu We then proceeded up . the- stream , which was at its commencement , about two hundred yards , wide * bnt soon , narrowed to fifty or eighty . I was much delighted with the fceauty of the vegetation , which surpassed anything I had . seen before ; atevery bend of tlie stream some new object presented itself , —now a hnge cedar hanging over the water , or a great silk cotton-tree standing like a giant above the rest of ; tha forests XliB-gracefulaasa 4 palmsi occurred continually , in clumps of various siaes . sometimes raisinjs their stem » a hundred feet into the air , or bending , iu graceful curves till they , almost met from the ? opposite banks . The majestic muruti palm was also abundant . stems uoiumuo ilu iva iuimoui j

    * wt oariugnx . ana cylindrical , iikb vjrcoiun , auu vr » mu ~ ou «>« u leaves and gigantic bunches of fruit , produced aa imposing spectacle . Some of these bunches were larger than any I had ) before seen , being eight or ten feet in length , weighing probably tw « on three hundredweight : each consisted of several bushels of a large reticulated fruit . These palms were often clothed with creepers , which ran up to the summits , and there put fortn their blossoms . Lower down , on the water's edge , were numerous flowering shrubs , often completely covered with convolvuluses , passion-flowers , or bignonias . Every dead'or half-rotten tree was clothed with parasites of singular forms , or bearing beautiful flowers , while smaller palros , curious-shaped stems , and twisting climbers , formed a background in tba interior of the forest . " Nor were there wanting animated figures to complete the picture . Brilliant scarlet and yellow macaws flew continually overhead , while screaming parrots and paroquets were passing from tree to tree in search of food . Sometimes from a branch over the water were

    suspended the banging nests of the black and yellow troupial ( Ca «* ictw icteronolius ) , into which those handsome birds were continually entering ; The effect of the scene waa much heightened , by the river often carving to one side or the other , so as to bring to view a constant variety of objects . At every bend we would see before us a flock of the elegant white heron , seated on some dead tree overhanging the water ; but as soon as we came in sight ot them , they would take flight , and on passing another bend we would find thorn again porchediu front of us , and so on fora considerable distance . , On many of the flowering elirubs guy butterflies were settled , and sometimes on a muddy bank a young ^ alligator would be . seen comfortably reposing in the sun . . • • . T i i . "After walkinover four or five miles of suoh ground , we arrived at the Lake just aB it

    « Before daybreak I had- my gun upon my shoulder , eager to make an attack upon the ducks and other aquatic birds which swarmed npon tfce > Lake . I soon found plenty of them and , my gun being loaded .- with small shot , I killed seven or eight at &ae . first-fire . They were very pretty hide birds , with metallic-green and white wings , and besides , forminff ? ooa specimens , provided ua with an excellent breakfast . -After the fcrat discharge , however they : became remarkably shy ,-so I went after the roseate spoonbills , white herons ^ amd long-legged plovers , which-1 saw on the other side : they also seemed to have taken warning by tae ^ ate of their compatriona , for I could not get near enough for a shot , as there was no means of concealing- ray approach . "What is called the Lake is a . long , winding pieca . of water ,, from ; thirty t « fifty yards wide and ; of little depth . It is bordered with aquatic plants , and gfacubs , and . in some parts : is thickly covered with floating grass , and duckweed . It is inhabited' by immense numbers ? of the fish already mentioned , and alligators , which are so thick that there is scarcely any place where you may- not stir one up . There are also great quantdties&of very small ns&

    about two indies long , which I suppose serve as food for tlie larger ones , which in their turn are probably sometimes devoured by the alligators . ; though , ifc appears almost a mystery , how so many large animals can find a subsistence , crowded together in suclirajnnaU' « pace < "After breakfast the overseer commenced the alligator-hunt . A number of Negroes went into the water with-long pclesj driving die animals to the side , where others awaited them with harpoons and lassos . " Sometimes the lasso was- at once thrown over their heads ,, or , if Sxst harpooned , a lasso was then secured to them , either over the head or the taiL ; and they were-easilydrAggedtO : tho shore- by the united force often or twelve men ; Anatherlasso was fixed f if necessary ^ sa as to fasten tlem at both ends , and on being pnlled > out of the-water , &Negra cautiously approached with an axe , and cut a deep gash across the root of the tailirindering that IOUalUavlo vttuun uit 399 nuiFUici vt obiuao uio uioauAGixwioliewituiultUO 4

    vp us > , wr ucu « - - * . ' 'UUXIU | V was then left , and pursuit of another commenced ^ wMch was speedifyreduccd to- the aamai condition . Sometimes the cord would break , and tlie harpoon get . , loose , and ?; the Hegroas had often to made into the water among the ferocious animals in a vary hazardous manner . They were from ten- to eighteen feet long ; sometimes even twenty , witB ' enormous misshapen heads , and fearful rows of long sharp teetiu , Whema . nurobfic wera ^ oufc on th aJand-,. ^ 2 d or-dyingVithey were cut open , and the fat which accumulates in considerable quantities about the intestines was taken out , and made up into packets in tlie skins of the smaller ones , taken off for the purpose . There- is another smaller kind , hem calledtJaa * r < £ . tinga , which is , the one eaten , the flesh being more delicate than in the larger speews . After killing twelve or fifteen , the overseer and his party went off to another-lake at at short : distance , where the alligators were more plentiful , and by night hadtkiiled ^ near ^ fty . Thtt next day they killed twenty or thirty more , and got ant the fat from the-othera . "

    XJFS ABOTXNIMltO . " In fact , the ? aonnd of animal life never ceases . Directly , after , sunset ^ the aercoiS j nitterns , and cranea begin their discordant vies , and the boat-bills and frogs . s 4 t £ "Up a > dismal croaking . The note-of one frog deserves a . better name : it is an . a ^ ceeabl ^ wmatle , and * , could it be brought into civilisMkaocietjt , would doubtless , have : as . many a ^ oirfirs . aa ^ the ^ singing monsej or . the still moEepmaweUous whbtling ; oyster described . Kg Eimch . * All night long , the alligators and fish keep up » continual plungingj ; but , vatbi ^ grey of morningv commence the , most extraordinary noises . All of a sudden tea drotuu ^ . white ^ wm ^ i paroaxiets begin their morning : song , with such a . confusion of piercing shriiBka asjt , Uk nuitflt : eSwri gimuwo t iu nvuiu gut i iuca

    lmpOSSlOie CO Ci ( W : ~ a XIUIIUICU . auuc- »> xuu n » ; uu « a « m » of it . A little later , and another noise ia « heard ; the flies , wbicli had weighed down every blade of grass , now wake up , and , with a soundiug hum , commenca their , attack , upon the fishr every piece that has iaia a few hours upon the ground has deposited * around it jnasses of their eggs as large as walnuta . In fact , the abund ^ CO of earery kmd- Of amS ^ crowded ; into a small space , was here very strikiBg , compared ; -witdi Uieysparin ^ manner in . which it is scattered . in , the virgm forests . It seeniB tbiorca ^ ua ; ti > ^ e cpnciyipBi'tKat ti& » luxuriance of taipical vegetation is not favourable ifo the prbducfibn ' ana BU ^ p ^ rac ^^ aiii ^ nnT life . The . plains are always , more thickly peopled than the . forest ; , and a temperata zone , as has , been pointed-out by Mr . Darwin ,, seems better adapted to the , suppjoct of large landV ftri ^ ft lia tk « r » tho fcrnpica . " , . " -.. .. .. _ . . / .

    As a specimen of Negro credulity read this : ^ good sa » Br . ^ " ' There was a Negro , ' said he , * who had a pretty wife , ; to whom another Negro was rather attentive when he had an opportunity ; , © nfe day the husbanefrwenfe outto fianti and taw other Tarty thought it at good opportunity to pay a visit toi tne ^ lady ^ Thj hiiaband ,. however , returned rather uiwxpettt » dlyy ami tiws visitor climbeiup ^ n . tfte . r ^ er » Jp . ^ out ot sight among : the old boards and baskets that wew stowed away wtt ^ ' The ,, huabajod put , ms gun by ui a corner , and called to his wife to g « t his supper * . aftd thw sat down m nia hammock . Casting his eyes up to the rafters , te saw a leg ptotrudmg ifrom among the baskets , and , thinking , it something supernatural , crossed himself , and said , Lord , deliver us from tlie legs appearing overhead" ! ' The otter , hearing ^ lnsv attempted to draw up hiii lees out of sight , but , losing bis balance , came down suddenly on the floor in front of the astonished husband , who , half frightened ^ asked , ' Where > do you come from ? ' ' I have just come from heaven , ' said the other , ' and have brought you news of your little daughter Maria . ' * Oh ! wife , wifel come and see a man who has brought us news of our little nd wlat little ht

    daughter Maria ; ' then , turning to the visitor , continued : A was my dauger doing when you left ? ' Ohl she was sitting at the feet of the Virgin , with a golden crown on her head , and smoking a golden pipe a yard long ; ' ? And did she not send any message , to us V * Oh yes , she sent many remembrances ^ * " * begged you to send her two pounds ot your tobacco from the little rhossa , they have not got any half sa good up there . ' Oh ! wife wife ! bring two pounds of ous tobacco from the little rhoBMH tor our daughter Maria is ia heaven , and she says they have not any half , so good uo theceJ So tb , e , tobacco waa brought , and the visitor was departing , when le was asked : ^ Are there many white mfitt up there r ' Very few , ' herepiied ; ' they are all down below with the dtaVo . « I thought bo , ' the other replied , apparently quite satisfied ;; ' good nightT ^ ' . '' ¦' It is commonly supposed tliat vultures discover-their f&od "by went , and 1 not by siglit . Mr . W allace , in the following , thinks he- proves -the contrary ? " Tlie common black vultures were abundant , but were rather put to it for food , being obliged to eat palmfruite in the forest when they could find nothing else . Every morning ; it was an amusing sight to see them run after the pigs the moment they got up , three or four following close at the heels of each animaL , for the purpose of devounDg . U » dung the moment ib was dropped . The pigs seemed to be . very mupli annoyed at suoh indacenb behaviour and would frequently turn round and take a run at the buds , who . would hop out of . the wuy or fly a short distance , but immediately resume their fositions as » on as . . tnepi& continued his walk it

    . . . .. .. ' . .. ., . . _ . " I am convinced , from repeated observations , that the vultures depend entirely on sight , and not at all on smell , in seeking out their food . While stohiga ^ ^^^ used to be always waiting attendance at a modorate distance . Uhe moment 1 Uirew *** && piece of meat they would all run up to seize it : but it frequently happened to tajl m a MJIe hollow of the ground or among some grass , and then they would hop about , searctung-wittun ffSit , anlvery otten go away without finding it at all . A p iece rf . stick or paperwouW bringim down just as rapidly , and after seeing what it was thoy would quiet ** g ^ Wk to their former places . They always chose elevated stations , evidently to see _ Wbj * food they , adSe i and when soaring at an immense height in the air , they . wuL descend into the forest where a cow has died orleen killed , long before it becomes putrid or emits any strong smell I have often wrapped a piece of half putrid meat in Taper and thrown it to them , and even then , after hopping up to it , they will retire quite satisfied that it isonly paper , and nothing at all eatable . " Mr . Wallace should have warned his readers that he was not describing a fish , but one of the Cetacup , in the following description of

    : cow- . " Oao day the fislionnen brought ua in a fine ' peixo loi , ' or cow-fish , a species of Manatus , which inhabita tho Ainaaon , and i » particukrly abundant in the Likes in tbia part

    g waB eettine dark . The only building there was a small shed without any walls , under which we hung our hammocks , while the Negroes used tho neighbouring trees and buahes for tlie same purposa . A large fire was blazing , and round it were numerous wooden spits , containing oiocea . of fresh nsh and alligator's tfail for our supper . While it was getting ready , we went to look at some fiah which had just been caught , and lay ready for salting ¦ and drying tliolnext day : thoy were the pirarucu ( Sudis aigas ) , a splendid species , five or « ix feet lone , with large scales of more than an inch in diameter , and beautifully marked and spotted with red . The Lake contains great quantities of them , and they are salted and dried for the Par * marlcet . It b a very fine-flavoured fiah , the belly in particular being so fat an < ti rinh t . lmfc ifc cannot be cured , and is therefore generally eaten iresti . 1 Uis , wan

    rfarinha and bobuj coffee , mado us an excellent supper , and the alligator s tail , wtnen l now tasted for the first time , waa by no means to be despbed . We soon turned into our hammocks , and slept soundly aft or the fatigue of tho day . Jaguars were abundant , and 1 ad carried off some fiah a night or two before ; the alligators too were plunging and snorting within twenty wwd » of ua ; but wo did not suffer sucli trilles to disturb our slumbers .

    Untitled Article

    Jakuakt T , 1854 . ] T H E LEADBS . w

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 7, 1854, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2020/page/19/