FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. 151 



low-lying ground which, though dry enough in the first part of 

 the year, would be absolutely untenable when the rains set in. 

 Here we sat down on a log to rest and began talking over our 

 return, all hope of finding peccaries being gone. As we talked the 

 dogs, with the exception of the veteran Cook, started after another 

 agouti and were off in pursuit in a moment, but they soon lost it; 

 after their return another agouti appeared but was soon run 

 down and killed. Gertrude, Jubilee, Spotty and Bull soon found 

 another and were speedily out of hearing. Being tired we did 

 not join in the chase and called to the dogs to return. A long while 

 elapsed and then Spotty came limping through the bushes with 

 his face covered with blood. Examination proved that he had 

 had his eyelid ripped up in a fight with some animal, and opinions 

 were varied as to whether it was the act of a lappe or an ant-eater. 

 Sammy was sent to ascertain what had become of the other dogs 

 and to find, if possible, their quarry. Half-an-hour later we heard 

 our messenger calling to us to follow as the dogs had killed some- 

 thing. It is needless to say we started off as fast as possible. 

 As I was suffering from a lame foot I was soon out-distanced 

 by my companions, who ran like deer, but I still managed to 

 follow, sometimes rollingdownsteephills and always much impeded 

 by certain curious, and extremely annoying creeping palms, armed 

 with long thorns and which are capitally described by their 

 local name of " Wait a minute" — many were the occasions on 

 which I waited several minutes. After awhile I neared the 

 verge of the wood and rushed into a thicket which seemed to 

 skirt the forest. I could not find an opening but as I saw Boney 

 cutting a path for himself I followed him and soon emerged on 

 a clearing surrounded by forest. Great trunks of felled trees were 

 lying in ;ill directions and effectually prevented any sprinting 

 on my part. On the right dense volumes of smoke were rising, 

 for fire had been set to the underwood and this, with the blazing 

 sun combined to make the atmosphere decidedly sultry. Despite 

 his years and emaciated appearance, Boney tripped along in front, 

 as lightly as a goat. But I was not prepared to follow him 

 when he suddenly ran along a slippery sapling which bridged 

 a sort of hollow, and disappeared on the other side. Thought I 

 to myself " when I set out this morning I was jirepared to do 

 " many things I had never done before but I never expected 

 " rope dancing was one of them." The situation was far from 

 pleasant, the hollow was deep, and at the bottom was soft mud 

 and dirty water. This was not a bad thing to fall into if one 

 must fall. But the mud was covered over with a thick mass of 

 thorny brambles which were simply terrifying. On the right 

 hand the fire was crackling and blazing within a couple of yards 



*Desmoncus maior. 



