A YOUNG NATURALIST. 181 



and took hold of two or three of the insects ; bat feeling 

 their soft bodies give way in his fingers, he threw them 

 down with disgust. 



u Oh ! what are these horrid creatures ?" 



" They are wood-bugs," replied Sumichrast; " only they 

 are in the state of farece, and have no wings." 



" What has caused this nasty smell on my fingers ?" 



** When any one touches these insects, a very strong-smell- 

 ing yellowish liquid always exudes from them." 



Lucien ran off to wash his hands. He rubbed them over 

 and over again, but could not quite get rid of the smell, 

 which seemed to annoy him very much. I concluded from 

 this that in future he would not have many wood-bugs in 

 his collection. 



After a long ramble at the bottom of the ravine, we had 

 to return to our starting-point, which was the only side by 

 which we could obtain an exit. We found the cataract per- 

 fectly bathed in light. The large upper sheet of water 

 looked like a block of azure-stone, while the spray beneath 

 glittered as if covered with diamonds. Above our heads a 

 rainbow spanned the stream from bank to bank. 



I at last succeeded in tearing my companions away from 

 this wondrous scene. We had met with no game, but a 

 great part of our fawn was yet remaining in the basket. 

 Sumichrast was still in pain, and FEncuerado's face contin- 

 ued much inflamed. We now had to ascend, and we each 

 adopted the greatest precaution while passing the spot 

 where we had seen the serpents. I don't know how we 

 should ever have got up if FEncuerado had not thought of 

 cutting some branches of dwarf elder for walking-sticks. 

 Above every thing, I wished to keep Lucien from the suf- 

 fering caused by coining in contact with the Jtfala-mitjer, 

 as the Mexicans call it, and it was with a sigh of relief that 

 I saw him safe and sound out of this cul-de-sac. 



