488 THE ORGAN-BIRD. 



which was allowed to go free about the house. Having 

 chastised it for mounting his work-table, the first time it 

 made the attempt, it never again repeated it. It slept on 

 the top of a box in a corner of the room, with its long tail 

 laid right over its back, and its beak thrust underneath its 

 wing. It ate of everything beef, turtle, fish, farina, fruit 

 and was a constant attendant at meals. It learned the 

 hour to a nicety, and he found it difficult to keep the bird 

 away from the dining-room at these hours. When it had 

 become somewhat impudent and troublesome, he tried to 

 shut it out in the back-yard ; but Tocano used to climb the 

 fence, and hop round by a long circuit, making its appearance 

 with the greatest punctuality as the meal was placed on the 

 table. One day it was stolen, and given up for lost ; but 

 two days afterwards it stepped through the doorway at the 

 'dinner-hour, with its old gait and sly magpie-like expression, 

 having escaped from the house of the person who had stolen 

 it, situated at the further end of the village. 



THE REALEJO, OR ORGAN-BIRD.* 



While the strange, harsh voice of the goatsucker is hushed, 

 the mycetes has ceased to howl, and no roar of jaguar is 

 heard, a few slow, sweet, and mellow notes reach the ear, fol- 

 lowing one another like the commencement of an air. The 

 unimpressible natives stop their paddles as they are floating 

 up an igarape to listen to the dulcet strains. The sounds 

 appear to be those of a human voice ; some young girl gather- 

 ing fruit in the neighbouring thicket, it would seem, warbling 

 a few notes to cheer herself in her solitude. Now the tones 

 become more flute-like and plaintive, now they seem to be 



* Cyphorhinus Cantans ; called also the flute-bird. 



