1722 Animals of Peru. 



hour, and return with equal punctuality before sunset. This regularity of departing 

 and returning has caused the natives to give them the name of jornaleros 'day- 

 labourers.' From the depth of the forest sounds often arise which resemble human 

 voices, and the astonished hunter then believes that he is in the vicinity of his com- 

 panions, or, perhaps, of hostile Indians. He eagerly listens, and it is only when well 

 acquainted with the sounds of the winged inhabitants of the woods that he can recog- 

 nise the melancholy tones of the wood-pigeons (C. infuscata, Licht. , C. melancholica, 

 Tsch.). When day begins to depart, groups of the pheasant-like hachauallpa* as- 

 semble, and with the cry of ven acafi ven acd, summon their distant companions. 



" Not only are the trees of the forests peopled with myriads of birds, but the earth 

 has also its feathered inhabitants, who seldom soar above the level of the soil. They 

 build their nests among the roots and fallen branches, and depend for movement more 

 on their feet than on their wings. Among those members of the winged tribe who 

 show no disposition to soar into the regions of air, we find here the turcassa, a pigeon 

 with richly shaded plumage ; the beautifully speckled-tooth fowl (Odontophorus spe- 

 ciosus, Tsch.), and short-tailed grass-fowl or crake, J whose flesh when cooked is deli- 

 cately white and finely flavoured. In marshy places and on the slimy banks of rivers, 

 the jabiru {Mycteria americana, L.), loves to wade, together with the rose-coloured 

 spoonbill (Platalea ajaja, L.), the fish-devouring ibis (Tantalus loculator, L.), the 

 curved-billed snipe (Ryncho'ea Hilterea, Val.), the parti-coloured cranes, plovers, land- 

 rails, shrites, and even sea-swallows. § In the rivers there are ducks: these birds are, 

 perhaps, carried down by the currents from the Andes, or, possibly, they fly in great 

 trains from the inner waters of Brazil. 



" Of the Amphibia in the principal forests of Peru, only the great fresh-water tor- 

 toise (Hydraspis expansa, Fitz.), is useful to the natives. On the sandy banks of ri- 

 vers this animal buries its eggs, from which the Indians extract oil : its flesh, also, 

 supplies well -flavoured food. All other animals of this class are objects of terror, or at 

 least of aversion, to the Indians. In the warm sand of the river-banks, lies tbe lazy 

 caiman. || He keeps his jaws wide open, only closing them to swallow the innume- 

 rable flies which he catches on his tongue. To the helplessness of these animals when 

 on land, the natives have to be thankful that they are not the most dangerous scourges 

 of the forest : in water, their boldness and swiftness of motion are fearful. The num- 

 ber of lizards here is not great, nor do they attain so considerable a size as in the 

 other equatorial regions. The serpents are to be feared, and on approaching them it 

 is not easy to decide at the first view whether they belong to a poisonous or innoxious 

 species. In the forests, where the fallen leaves lie in thick, moist layers, the foot of 

 the hunter sinks deep at every step. Multitudes of venomous Amphibia are hatched 

 in the half-putrescent vegetable matter, and he who inadvertently steps on one of 

 these animals may consider himself uncommonly fortunate if he can effect his retreat 



* Several kinds of Penelope. 



| The cry of this bird closely resembles the Spanish words ven acd, 

 hither.' 



\ Seven species of Crypturus. 



§ Sterna erythrorhynchos, Prince Max. St. magniroslris, Licht. 



|| Champosa Jissipes, sderops and niym, Wagl. 



