448 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



the air, gray parrots fly chattering about, and 

 hornbills and toucans of different varieties flit 

 awkwardly past, uttering shrill cries. Bees and 

 insects of all kinds are heard buzzing; and 

 numberless superb butterflies, black, or dark 

 metallic blue, with scarlet eyes and long swallow- 

 tail wings, flutter about in hundreds, settling on 

 any place where there is any appearance of 

 moisture. 



Later in the day every sound of animal life 

 becomes hushed, save, perhaps, the sharp creaking 

 sound of a solitary cicada, the hoarse croaking 

 of a bull-frog, or the shrill scream of different 

 kinds of kites, and turkey-buzzards, who may be 

 seen soaring high in the air during the intense 

 heat of the day. 



Towards evening life again revives, and every 

 bush appears to ring with the different sounds of 

 the insect world. 



In some parts of the forest a kind of frankincense 

 tree fills the air with a perfume that is almost 

 oppressive, and I often fell in with magnificent 

 forest trees that were perfectly new to me, for 



