268 THE GREAT CRESTED COQUETTE. 



little creature bites terribly, and attacks every- 

 thing it meets with. The waters will be stained 

 with the blood of its victim. 



A person who chances to bathe or swim in the 

 neighbourhood of the pirangas is sure to suffer. 

 He will be lacerated by a number of sharp 

 teeth, that seem as if they were bent upon devour- 

 ing him. 



The poor stag is now and then actually de- 

 voured. When pressed by an enemy, he will 

 plunge into the water, and attempt to swim across ; 

 but he will be so bitten and wounded by the 

 merciless pirangas, that he sinks from exhaustion, 

 and becomes their prey. 



Even the huge alligator has his tail often 

 wounded by the pirangas. But they themselves 

 are not without enemies to keep them in check. 



The Indian catches many of them, for he thinks 

 them a delicate article of food. 



The river forms a line of division between one 

 tribe of creatures and another. 



The monkeys that live in the forest on one side 

 of the river differ from the monkeys on the other 



