A YOUNG NATURALIST. 85 



" What good is its great mouth ? " 



" I can't say ; for the naturalists, who have been as much 

 puzzled as you are by this peculiarity, have been unable to 

 explain it." 



" Then I am more learned than they are," said I'Encuerado, 

 with a magisterial air. 



" Do you know, then, why toucans have such exaggerated beaks % '' 



" Because they have been made by a wise Creator," replied the 

 Indian. 



" No doubt about that," remarked Sumichrast, smiling ; "but 

 the point is, why they were made so." 



" Because their beak, calcined and reduced to powder, is the 

 only efficacious remedy for epilepsy. Toucans are very scarce birds, 

 and if their beaks were no larger -than those of other birds of 

 their size, this medicine could never be obtained in sufficient 

 quantities." 



L'Encuerado's explanation was perhaps as good as our uncer- 

 tainty. , I remembered that the Indians do, in fact, make a great 

 mystery of a powder against epilepsy, and that a toucan's head 

 may often be noticed hanging up to the wall of a hut, as a pre- 

 servative against St Vitus' dance. 



Instead of resting, Lucien prowled about in every direction, 

 breaking away bark, and Hfting stones with all the ardour of a 

 neophyte in entomology. , Since meeting with the coral-serpent, 

 he took precautions which gave me confidence ; for it is quite 

 uncertain how a reptile, or any other creature, may behave when 

 it is disturbed. The child suddenly called out to me ; he had 

 just discovered a nest oi.scolojiendrce, commonly called centipedes, 

 and he was afraid to touch them. The centipedes, surprised at 

 being disturbed, rolled themselves up; their pale blue colour 

 somewhat diminished the repugnance which their appearance 

 generally excites. It was not without some hesitation that 

 Lucien, encouraged by Sumichrast, ventured to place one on the 

 palm of his hand ; the insect gradually unrolled its articulations, 

 each of which was provided with two pairs of feet .ending in 

 hooks j but its walk was so slow, as rather to disappoint the 

 young observer. 



