306 TiMEHRI. 



this work for the following. Having experienced already 

 something of the indomitable vitality of snakes, I had 

 become careful, and substituting the braces by a stronger 

 sling, I fastened this latter to the doorpost. 



Loud screams and uproarious laughter awakened me 

 next morning ; at the same time I heard a strange and 

 loud hissing. I hastily jumped from my hammock and 

 stepped outside the door. The snake had a6lually recov- 

 ered and was now working with all its might to get loose 

 from its fetters. A whole crowd of Indians had gathered 

 round and were trying to provoke it into even greater 

 rage. With its mouth open it emitted its unceasing sounds 

 resembling the hissing of geese, its eyes looking all the 

 time as if they were trying to force themselves out of 

 their sockets. Its tongue was in uninterrupted motion. 

 To put an end to its exertions, I shot it through the head, 

 but unfortunately lost its lovely skin later on. 



Among the inse6ts we were particularly interested in 

 the innumerable cicadas, which pun6lually every day at 

 noon and again at 6 o'clock in the evening carried on 

 their shrill concert. A choir of a thousand voices then 

 filled the bushes, shrubs and trees, having however iittle 

 charm for the listener. Simultaneously with the evening 

 concert a bird, which I however never got to see in spite 

 of all my efforts, uttered a shrill, whistling sound, resem- 

 bling mostly the whistling of an engine. These animals 

 commence their notes with the pun6luality of a watch ; 

 the beginning of the concert varying only about two or 

 three minutes at the most. Other animals again raised 

 their voices at other definite hours, which enabled one 

 even without a watch and wilhout the sun being visible, 

 to determine the time of the day. In the same way the 



