THE KOMANCE OF NATUKAL HISTOKY. 



that the bite of the little lizard is invariably 

 fatal. 



None of these sounds can compare in terrible 

 effect with the deafening howls that penetrate the 

 forests of Guiana after night has fallen, — the ex- 

 traordinary vocal performances of the alouattes 

 or howling-monkeys. They go in troops, and 

 utter their piercing cries, which Humboldt affirms 

 can be heard in a clear atmosphere at the distance 

 of two miles, in a strange concord, which seems 

 the result of discipline, and incomparably aug- 

 ments the effect. The same traveller informs us 

 that occasionally the voices of other animals are 

 added to the concert ; the roarings of the jaguar 

 and puma, and the shrill cries of alarmed birds. 

 "It is not always in a fine moonlight, but more 

 particularly at the time of storms and violent 

 showers, that this tumult among the wild beasts 

 occurs." 



I linger on these tropical pictures, where nature 

 appears under aspects so different from those of 

 our clime. Here is another on the Amazon: — 

 "No clouds obscured the sky, and the millions of 

 starry lights, that in this clime render the moon's 

 absence of little consequence, were shining upon us 

 in their calm, still beauty. The stream where we 

 were anchored was narrow; tall trees drooped 

 over the water, or mangroves shot out their long 

 finger-like branches into the mud below. Huge 

 bats were skimming past ; night-birds were calling 

 in strange voices from the tree-tops; fire-flies 

 darted their mimic lightnings ; fishes leaped above 

 the surface, flashing in the starlight; the deep, 

 sonorous baying of frogs came up from distant 

 marshes ; and loud plashings inshore suggested all 

 sorts of nocturnal monsters."* 



* Edwards's "Voyage up the Amazon," p. 27. 

 38 



