30 NATIVE BIRDS. ch. ii. 



of the birds wefe new enough to our eyes to diversify the 

 way; The commonest is the stork, which appears, from a 

 sense of entire security, to have assumed a tone of com- 

 plete intimacy with his human neighbours. He may be 

 seen about the houses, familiar with the little brown-faced, 

 black-eyed boys, or striding majestically through the 

 cr6ps, or wheeling slowly in wide circles through the air, 

 till he siiddenly stoJ)s, drops his long legs that had been 

 stretched out behind him during flight, and, poising him- 

 self on them like an aCrobat on loose stilts, comes to rest. 

 A blue headed bee-eater, apparently the same species that 

 is extremely common in South Marocco, was also seen 

 during our ride. 



As we began to ascend the main range of hills that 

 still separated us from Tetuan we overtook a couple of 

 wild-looking fellows, one carrying a tambourine, the other 

 a cylindrical basket, who soon showed that they wanted 

 to attract our attention. Our stately interpreter, riding 

 along with his nose in the air, purbUnded by his blue 

 goggles, took no notice of them till one sat down and 

 began tom-toming on the tambourine; and Bulbo, ever 

 ready for amusement, soon enticed us to see the snake 

 charmers. These have been so often described, that it is 

 enough to make a few notes on the natural history of the 

 exhibition. The object of the tom-toming — at first gentle 

 and lastly furious — with which the performance com- 

 mences, is clearly to aid the charmer in his endeavours to 

 addle his brains, and deaden his nervous susceptibility, so 

 that he may better encounter the pain, which, though not 

 intense, must be considerable. His own share commenced 

 by frenzied dancing and bodily contortions, and above all 

 rolling his head violently from side to side. This accom- 

 plished, the basket was opened, and after a good deal of 

 hustling two magnificent snakes unwillingly glided out, 

 raised their beautiful heads, looking as proud as swans, 

 glanced scornfully about, and very naturally tried to get 

 back. This the charmer prevented, and still keeping up 



