132 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 



teach you to tread lightly and barefoot on the 

 little inequalities of the ground, and show you 

 how to pass on, unwounded, amid the mantling 

 briers. 



Snakes in these wilds are certainly an annoy- 

 ance, though perhaps more in imagination than 

 reality; for you must recollect that the serpent 

 is never the first to offend; his poisonous fang 

 was not given him for conquest : he never inflicts 

 a wound with it but to defend existence. Provided 

 you walk cautiously, and do not absolutely touch 

 him, you may pass in safety close by him. As he 

 is often coiled up on the ground, and amongst the 

 branches of the trees above you, a degree of cir- 

 cumspection is necessary, lest you unwarily dis- 

 turb him. 



Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before the 

 noble face of man, to require a moment of your 

 attention. 



The bite of the most noxious of the insects, at 

 the very worst, only causes a transient fever, 

 with a degree of pain more or less. 



Birds in general, with few exceptions, are not 

 common in the very remote parts of the forest. 

 The sides of rivers, lakes, and creeks, the borders 

 of savannas, the old abandoned habitations of 

 Indians and woodcutters, seem to be their favour- 

 ite haunts. 



Though least in size, the glittering mantle of 

 the Humming-bird entitles it to the first place in 

 the list of the birds of the new world. It may 

 truly be called the Bird of Paradise ; and had it 

 existed in the old world, it would have claimed the 

 title instead of the bird which has now the honour 



