INDIAN PIPES. 



29 



The wild cat in our next engraving, is equally good; 

 the ferocity and watchfulness which combine in the 

 features of the species, are 

 well displayed. 



Birds are also repre- 

 sented with equal truthful- 

 ness. We engrave one pipe 

 decorated with the figure of 

 a toucan, which is represented receiving its food from 

 a human hand (the latter indicated by incised lines in 

 the base of the pipe). 

 This bird is only found 

 in the tropical countries 

 of North America. Poz- 

 zo, a distinguished natu- 

 ralist, speaks of taming 

 them very easily. Other travellers inform us that they 

 are very highly prized by the Indians of Guiana and 

 Brazil, principally on account of their brilliant plumage; 

 they j)luck off the skin from the breast, containing the 

 most beautiful feathers, and glue it upon their cheeks 

 by way of ornament. In these districts the toucan 

 was almost the only bird the aborigines attempted to 

 domesticate. 



It will be noticed that all these ancient pipes are con- 

 structed of the hardest materials — granite, porphyry, 

 and basaltic stone. The time and labour expended in 

 perfecting these elaborate works, must have given 

 them a high value when finished. They appear to 

 have been first rudely fashioned by tools of copper 



