Chap. I. STORMS. 25 



and lay their eggs at this time — for instance, the ground 

 doves (Charnaepelia) . The trees retain their verdure 

 throughout, and many of them flower in the dry months. 

 Lizards do not become torpid, and insects are seen 

 both in the larva and the perfect states, showing that 

 the aridity of the climate has not a general influence on 

 the development of the species. Some kinds of but- 

 terflies, especially the little hair-streaks (Theclae), whose 

 larvae feed on the trees, make their appearance only 

 when the dry season is at its height. The land mol- 

 luscs of the district, are the only animals which acti- 

 vate ; they are found in clusters, Bulimi and Helices, 

 concealed in hollow trees, the mouths of their shells 

 closed by a film of mucus. The fine weather breaks 

 up often with great suddenness about the begin- 

 ning of February. Violent squalls from the west or 

 the opposite direction to the trade-wind then occur. 

 They give very little warning, and the first generally 

 catches the people unprepared. They fall in the night, 

 and blowing directly into the harbour, with the first 

 gust sweep all vessels from their anchorage ; in a few 

 minutes, a mass of canoes, large and small, including 

 schooners of fifty tons burthen, are clashing together, 

 pell mell, on the beach. I have reason to remember 

 these storms, for I was once caught in one myself, whilst 

 crossing the river in an undecked boat, about a day's 

 journey from Santarem. They are accompanied with 

 terrific electric explosions, the sharp claps of thunder 

 falling almost simultaneously with the blinding flashes 

 of lightning. Torrents of rain follow the first outbreak ; 

 the wind then gradually abates, and the rain subsides 



