SOUTH AMERICA. 101 



birds, beasts, insects, and serpents. Besides a COND 



L e JOURNEY. 



brilliant plumage, many of the birds have a very 

 fine song. The troupiale, noted for its rich 

 colours, sings delightfully in the environs of 

 Pernambuco. The red-headed finch, larger than 

 the European sparrow, pours forth a sweet and 

 varied strain, in company with two species of 

 wrens, a little before daylight. There are also 

 several species of the thrush, which have a song 

 somewhat different from that of the European 

 thrush ; and two species of the linnet, whose 

 strain is so soft and sweet that it dooms them to 

 captivity in the houses. A bird called here Sangre 

 do Buey, blood of the ox, cannot fail to engage 

 your attention : he is of the passerine tribe, and 

 very common about the houses ; the wings and 

 tail are black, and every other part of the body a 

 flaming red. In Guiana, there is a species exactly 

 the same as this in shape, note, and economy, but 

 differing in colour, its whole body being like black 

 velvet ; on its breast a tinge of red appears through 

 the black. Thus nature has ordered this little 

 Tangara to put on mourning to the north of the 

 line, and wear scarlet to the south of it. 



For three months in the year the environs of Seasons. 

 Pernambuco are animated beyond description. 

 From November to March the weather is particu- 

 larly fine; then it is that rich and poor, young 

 and old, foreigners and natives, all issue from the 

 city to enjoy the country till Lent approaches, 



