THE LONG-BOW. 623 



rainy season, they form strong stockades across the outlet of 

 the great lagoons in which a number of the larger fish, as well 

 as turtles of enormous size, have taken refuge. The stakes of 

 these stockades are driven into the bed of the channel, close 

 enough to allow of the exit of the water and the smaller fish 

 only. It is further secured by cross-beams thrown across the 

 channel. Sometimes, however, so numerous are the fish, and 

 so enormous their size, that they break through the stockade 

 in spite of all the precautions taken. 



POISONING BIRDS. 



In the neighbourhood of the Apoure, in Venezuela, a poi- 

 sonous shrub abounds — the deadly guachamaca — belonging to 

 the family of Apocineoe, or dog-bane. The natives make a 

 strong decoction from it, into which they dip a number of 

 small fish, and spread them about in the neighbourhood of 

 lagoons frequented by cranes, herons, and other aquatic birds, 

 hiding themselves near at hand. Before the bird has fairly 

 swallowed the fish it drops dead, when the hunter, cutting otf 

 the head and neck, cames oflf the body as his prize. It is 

 said that when meat has been roasted on spits made of this 

 wood, it has absorbed sufficient poison to destroy all who 



ate it. 



THE LONG-BOW. 



Some tribe's, using a powerful long-bow, shoot birds in the 

 air at a m-eat distance. The liunter, throwing: himself on his 

 back, with his (piivcr by his side, i)laces his feet against the 

 bow, raised to the required elevation, and thus, stretching out 

 his legs, draws the arrow to his head on tlie ground. By 

 this means he is enabled to kill w ild fuwi and other game 

 at an enormous distance. An amusinu' writer on Venezuela 



