116 UEBANA. 



one evening with some natives npon the ground in front 

 of a dwelling, the head of one of these serpents, Avliich 

 had lain concealed m the grass, suddenly appeared in our 

 midst, causing a hasty dispersion of our group. 



At this village we came across some stray books and 

 papers that had found their way up from Angostura, 

 among which were several numbers of llarper''s WeeJc- 

 li/, and a copy of " Smith's Primary Geography" in Span- 

 ish print, but with the same illustrations that adorn the 

 English edition of that Avork, It is doubtful if ever, in 

 our school-boy days, we thumbed over Avith greater inter- 

 est this little volume for the sake of its pictures, than Ave 

 leaved it for a similar purpose upon this occasion. Any 

 thing that awakens in the memory of the traA^eller in dis- 

 tant lands thoughts of home and country, seems to possess 

 a peculiar charm, Avhicli, under other circumstances, might 

 be passed unnoticed. 



Our rambles about Urbana Avere productive of much 

 that Avas new and interesting. Among the many beau- 

 tiful insects were the blue Monphos, those giants of the 

 insect-world, which Avere abundant in the fox*est of the 

 sierras. There was also a species of white butterfly, with 

 black-tipped Avings, the same as we have observed in the 

 tropical clime of southern Florida, But Avhat especially 

 interested us Avere the wonders of the formicaria?, or ant 

 family, many species of which abound here ; some build- 

 ing in hollow trees, others suspending their nests from the 

 branches, Avhile still others construct their homes under- 

 ground. A large black species, an inch or more in length, 

 is the most numerous, as it is also the most A'oracious and 

 destructiA'e to vegetation^ stripping the foliage from trees 

 with a rapidity truly astonishing. DiA^erging in every 

 direction through the forest and across the saAannas, are 

 their broad and AV'cll-beaten trails, resembling sheep-paths. 

 We haA'e often, in our rambles, followed for lonsr distances 



