148 



NATURE'S TEACHINGS. 



suspicious. He then pointed out to me a dead tree standing 

 on an eminence at a distance of several hundred yards, and 

 charred black by last year's fire." Here I must explain that 

 in Abyssinia, as in several other parts of the world, the ground 

 is annually cleared of its superabundant vegetation by setting 

 fire to it, and allowing the flames to burn themselves out. 



" However, all I saw was a charred stump of a tree and a 

 few blackened logs or stones lying at its feet. The hunter 

 declared that neither the tree nor the stones were there the last 



LEAF-INSECT. 



PTARMIGAN. 



CATERPILLAR 



GEOMETRA. 



LAPPET-MOTH 



BABEA STRATAGEM. 



time we passed, and that they were simply naked Barea, who 

 had placed themselves in that position to observe us, having 

 no doubt seen us for some time, and prepared themselves. 



" I could scarcely believe it possible they could be so motion- 

 less, and determined to explore a little. The rest of the party 

 advised me to continue quietly in the road, as it was possible 

 that, from our presenting a rather formidable appearance, we 

 should pass unmolested ; but so confident was I of his mistake, 

 that, telling the rest to go on slowly as if nothing had been 

 observed, I dropped into the long grass and stalked up towards 

 them. 



" A shot from my rifle at a long distance (I did not venture 

 too close) acted on the trees and stones as powerfully as the 

 fiddle of Orpheus, but with the contrary effect ; for the tree 



