A YOUNG NATURALIST. 183 



There were finches of a violet-black, with orange-coloured 

 breasts and heads, some blue or golden-throated grossbeaks, and 

 birds adorned with a variety of colouring, which the Mexicans 

 call " primroses," while a number of mocking-birds were warb- 

 ling airs worthy of the nightingale. The sun, lost amid the 

 golden clouds, bathed the trees and bushes with a soft light. 

 Gradually all became silent, and nothing was heard but the 

 murmur of the stream, whilst birds of prey soared over our 

 heads on their way to the mountains. The eastern sky was 

 now wrapped in shade, and the stars twinkled in the dark 

 heavens, whilst on every bush animated sparks appeared to flit 

 about. 



I had been asleep more than two hours when I was suddenly 

 awakened by Gringalet barking. I jumped up simultaneously 

 with my companions, who were also alarmed by a rustling 

 among the dry leaves. Silence was soon restored, and I 

 fancied, although the dog continued to growl, that it was a 

 false alarm, so I was about to lie down again, when Sumichrast's 

 hand touched me on the shoulder; an enormous serpent was 

 gliding over the ground beside us. 



I at once recognised the black sugar-cane snake, which is 

 only formidable on account of its size ; the planters are in the 

 habit of attracting it to their fields, to keep them clear of mis- 

 chievous rodents. L'Encuerado noiselessly left the hut. The 

 snake raised its head, and slowly contracting its rings, and 

 throwing round a bright glance, turned towards us. Sumichrast 

 was just taking aim, when we heard the report of a gun, and 

 our hut was almost in a moment afterwards crushed in by the 

 repeated and furious struggles of the wounded reptile. 



There was one moment of utter confusion ; I disengaged myself 

 as soon as I could, at the same time protecting the stupefied 

 Lucien, and drawing him away. When I turned round, Sumi- 

 chrast was approaching I'Encuerado, who, cutlass in hand, was 

 hacking at the serpent, to render it further incapable of mischief. 



At last the fragments of the black snake, blindly tumbling 

 about, became lost in the thicket, and all was again quiet. 



" Well," said Sumichrast, " if, instead of being frightened, we 



