A YOUNG NATURALIST. 8 1 



" Will they attack live creatures ? " 



"Very rarely; for they are dreadful cowards, and, besides, 

 do not care much for fresh meat." 



We had now left far behind us the miserable crew of carrion- 

 eaters, when Lucien Suddenly cried out — 



" papa ! look, there 's a bleeding tree ! " 



"It is A pterocarpus ; that is, a vegetable with membranes re- 

 sembling the wing of a bird. The red sap which is trickling 

 down from its bark is called dragon's blood, thus named by the 

 Greeks, who ascribed to it a fabulous origin. The Blood-tree, for 

 so the Indians designate it, is allied to the asparagus and lily 

 genera, and the gum which exudes from it is a good remedy for 

 dysentery." 



L'Encuerado picked off a few dry flakes of this invaluable pro- 

 duction; and then, dipping his finger into some of the drops 

 which were still liquid, he rubbed it all over Gringalet's legs and 

 paws, who was thus provided with red top-boots. As a matter 

 of fact, this operation, must have had a good effect upon the 

 animal ; for this gum, being very rich in tannin, was certain to 

 brace the tissues and muscles ; but the first sensation of it seemed 

 to distress the poor beast, who ran along lifting up his legs in a 

 very comical fashion. 



" Gringalet walks very much in the same way that I'Encuerado 

 did the time he put on his beautiful blue slippers," remarked 

 Lucien, in great glee. 



" You don't mean to say," said Sumichrast, " that I'Encuerado 

 ever wore blue slippers 1 " 



" Yes ; the other day there was a dinner party, and mamma 

 told him to dress himself as well as he could. He at once ran off 

 to buy a. pair of pumps he had seen in a shop, and, just at the 

 moment they were all sitting down to dinner, he made his ap- 

 pearance in his new foot-coverings, and — a cravat ! " 



"A cravat ! " repeated Sumichrast, more surprised than ever. 



" Yes, a real cravat ; but as he had never before worn anything 

 on his feet but sandals, he lifted them up when he waiked just 

 as Gringalet does now. Mamma advised him to. put on hk 

 sandals again; but- he would not obey her, so he was well pun- 



