WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 165 



species of wrens, a little before daylight. There are also 

 several species of the thrush, which have a song somewhat 

 different from that of the European thrush ; and two 

 species of the linnet, whose strain is so soft and sweet that 

 it dooms them to captivity in the houses. A bird called 

 here Sangre do Buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to en- 

 gage your attention : he is of the passerine tribe, and very 

 common about the houses ; the wings and tail are black, 

 and every other part of the body a flaming red. In Guiana, 

 there is a species exactly the same as this in shape, note, 

 and economy, but different in colour, its whole body being 

 like black velvet ; on its breast a tinge of red appears 

 through the black. Thus nature has ordered this little 

 Tangara to put on mourning to the north of the line, and 

 wear scarlet to the south of it. 



For three months in the year the environs of Pernam- 

 buco are animated beyond description. From November 

 to March the weather is particularly fine ; then it is that 

 rich and poor, young and old, foreigners and natives, all 

 issue from the city to enjoy the country, till Lent ap- 

 proaches, when back they hie them. Villages and hamlets, 

 where nothing before but rags was seen, now shine in all 

 the elegance of dress ; every house, every room, every shed 

 become eligible places for those whom nothing but extreme 

 necessity could have forced to live there a few weeks ago : 

 some join in the merry dance, others saunter up and down 

 the orange-groves ; and towards evening the roads become 

 a moving scene of silk and jewels. The gaming-tables 

 have constant visitors ; there, thousands are daily and 

 nightly lost and won ; parties even sit down to try their 

 luck round the outside of the door as well as in the 

 room : 



" Vestibulum ante ipsum primisqne in faucibus aulae 

 Luctus et ultrices, posuere sedilia curae." 



