270 THE ADVENTURES OF 



rivers. They can always be recognised by their legs, which 

 are of an enormous length, and devoid of feathers below the 

 knee— a conformation which enables them to capture their prey 

 in shallow water.'' 



" Is this tantalus going to fish ? " 



" I should imagine so, for birds of its order have no other 

 means of obtaining food." 



" One might almost fancy that it was asleep, with his great 

 bill drooping down over his chest." 



" Woe be to the fish that is of your opinion. There ! did you 

 remark his sudden movement % He plunges his head down into 

 the water like a flash of lightning, and now you can see he holds 

 his prey in his beak. Now he is spreading his short black-edged 

 wings in order to take flight, and divide among his young brood 

 the products of his labours. Do you see that beautiful large bird 

 with a tuft on its forehead % That is the Ardea agami, a wader 

 of the heron genus. But look, there is a flock of egretts (Egretta 

 alba), clothed in their plumage as white as the ermine. They fly 

 about in flocks, but separate for their fishing. These birds have 

 rather a grave and sad air, and utter now and then a wild and 

 plaintive cry.'' 



We stopped to watch these waders gloomily standing in the 

 water, until we heard I'Encuerado's " Hiou ! hiou ! " informing us 

 that our companions were approaching the bivouac. I took Lucien 

 through the forest, replying to his numerous questions about the 

 Grallatores, when we heard the chattering and clatter produced 

 by a band of monkeys. About twenty wild turkeys, doubtless 

 frightened by the noise, rushed between our legs. I let the poor 

 fugitives go, for we had already more victuals than we could 

 consume. Lucien wondered at the number of animated beings 

 which surrounded us, all the more surprising when compared 

 with the gloomy solitude we had just passed through. 



"In the Terre-Chawde," said I, "the water-side is always 

 fertile, for the inhabitants both of the prairies and the forests 

 meet there." 



" Why don't the Mexicans live in such a varied and beautiful 

 country as the Terre-Chaude ? " 



