236 Through the Brazilian Wilderness 



groves. The hillsides were grassy pastures or else cov- 

 ered with low, open forest. 



A huge frog, brown above, with a light streak down 

 each side, was found hiding under some sticks in a damp 

 place in one of the improvised kitchens ; and another frog, 

 with disks on his toes, was caught on one of the tents. 

 A coral-snake puzzled us. Some coral-snakes are harm- 

 less ; others are poisonous, although not aggressive. The 

 best authorities give an infallible recipe for distinguishing 

 them by the pattern of the colors, but this particular 

 specimen, although it corresponded exactly in color pat- 

 tern with the description of the poisonous snakes, never- 

 theless had no poison-fangs that even after the most mi- 

 nute examination we could discover. Miller and one of 

 the dogs caught a sariema, a big, long-legged, bustard- 

 like bird, in rather a curious way. We were on the 

 march, plodding along through as heavy a tropic down- 

 pour as it was our ill fortune to encounter. The sariema, 

 evidently as drenched and uncomfortable as we were, was 

 hiding under a bush to avoid the pelting rain. The dog 

 discovered it, and after the bird valiantly repelled him, 

 Miller was able to seize it. Its stomach contained about 

 half a pint of grass-hoppers and beetles and young leaves. 

 At Vilhena there was a tame sariema, much more famil- 

 iar and at home than any of the poultry. It was with- 

 out the least fear of man or dog. The sariema (like the 

 screamer and the curassow) ought to be introduced into 

 our barnyards and on our lawns, at any rate in the South- 

 ern States; it is a good-looking, friendly, and attractive 

 bird. Another bird we met is in some places far more 

 intimate, and domesticates itself. This is the pretty little 



