THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



it is not easy to get two or three of the same 

 species. You see a trogon one day ; the next day 

 and the day after, another each day ; and all will 

 be different species. Quadrupeds or snakes are 

 seldom seen, but lizards are everywhere met with ; 

 and sometimes you get tortoises, tree-frogs, &c. 

 Insects, like birds, do not turn up in swarms of 

 one species ; for instance, you take a dozen longi- 

 corns one day, and they are sure to be of eight or 

 ten distinct species. One year of daily work is 

 scarcely sufficient to get the majority of species in 

 a district of two miles' circuit. 



"Such is the scene of my present labours ; and 

 all the rest of the Amazon is similar, though less 

 rich; the river Tapajos alone differing, being a 

 mountainous country. Having thus my work at 

 hand, I will tell you how I proceed. My house is 

 in the centre of the town, but even thus only a 

 few minutes' walk from the edge of the forest. I 

 keep an old and a young servant, on whom I rely 

 for getting eatables and preparing my meals, so 

 as to leave me unembarrassed to devote all my 

 thoughts to my work. Between nine and ten 

 A. M. I prepare for the woods; a coloured shirt, 

 pair of trousers, pair of common boots, and an 

 old felt hat, are all my clothing; over my left 

 shoulder slings my double-barrelled gun, loaded, 

 one with No. 10, one with No. 4 shot. In my 

 right hand I take my net, on my left side is sus- 

 pended a leathern bag with two pockets, one for 

 my insect-box, the other for powder and two 

 sorts of shot; on my right side hangs my "game- 

 bag/ ' an ornamental affair, with red leather trap- 

 pings and thongs to hang lizards, snakes, frogs, 

 or large birds. One small pocket in this bag con- 

 tains my caps; another, papers for wrapping up 

 the delicate birds ; others for wads, cotton, box of 

 26Q 





