A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



139 



state, the colour of its plumage altered to a reddish, a white, and 

 a gray and black colour. But it never lost the habit of walking 

 about in flocks, and of laying its eggs in thickets, in a shapeless 

 nest, which the young chicks leave the second day after they 

 are hatched. Lastly, the Aztec name of the turkey — totoU — is 

 applied by the Indians to simpletons and cowards. 



Lucien then told I'Encuerado about the magpie and the am- 

 phisbaena. 



" You killed a maquiz coatl, a two-headed serpent ! " cried the 

 Indian. 



"I only wounded it, for it got away; but it had only one 

 head." 



"Then you didn't examine it thoroughly; for it would not 

 turn round when it crawled away." 



" I did not notice. I saw it leap up in the air, and that was 

 all." 



" Have you searched well under the stones 1 Let us go back ; 

 the skin of the maquiz coatl enables the blind to see. Why did 

 you let it escape 1 " 



