A YOUNG NATURALIST. 381 



repeating a common phrase of mine ; " the huitzitzilins do 

 not migrate ; they go to sleep." 



" This fact has been so often related to me by Indians 

 living in the woods," said my friend, " that I feel almost 

 disposed to believe it." 



" Don't they say the same of the bats and swallows ? and 

 yet we know they change their habitat." 



"Yes; but with regard to humming-birds, they assert 

 that they have seen them asleep. At all events, it is cer- 

 tain that they disappear in the winter." 



The clucking of a bird of the gallinaceous order, called 

 the hocco Crax alector interrupted our discussion, and 

 my two companions carefully proceeded towards a dark- 

 foliaged tree, a little outside the edge of the forest. The 

 clucking suddenly ceased ; we heard the report of a gun, 

 and I saw three of them fly away into the forest. L'En- 

 cuerado was climbing a tree when I came up, for the bird 

 he had shot had lodged among the branches. 



" Do you see the long pods which hang on that tree ?" 

 cried Lucien. 



" It is a locust-tree covered with fruit," said my friend ; 

 " it is a relation of the bean and the pea." 



" Are the pods eatable ?" asked the child, as one fell at 

 his feet. 



" You may taste the dark pulp which surrounds the 

 seeds it is slightly sweet ; but don't eat too much, for it 

 is used in Europe as a medicine." 



L'Encuerado dropped at our feet the great bird which 

 Sumichrast had killed. It was larger in size than a fowl, 

 with a crest upon its head. Its cry a sort of clucking of 

 which its Spanish name gives an idea tells the traveller 

 its whereabout, although it is ready enough in making its 

 escape. 



L'Kncuerado returned to the bivouac, and Sumichrnst 



