96 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



serpent is never the first to offend : his poisonous fang 

 was not given him for conquest : he never inflicts a 

 wound with it but to defend existence. Provided you 

 walk cautiously, and do not absolutely touch him, you 

 may pass in safety close by him. As he is often coiled 

 up on the ground, and amongst the branches of the 

 trees above you, a degree of circumspection is necessary, 

 lest you unwarily disturb him. 



Tigers are too few, and too apt to fly before 

 ' the noble face of man, to require a moment 

 of your attention. 



The bite of the most noxious of the 

 insects, at the very worst, only causes a 

 transient fever, with a degree of pain more or less. 



Birds in general, with a few exceptions, 



Birds. . 



are not common m the very remote parts of 

 the forest. The sides of rivers, lakes, and creeks, the 

 borders of savannas, the old abandoned habitations of 

 Indians and wood-cutters, seem to be their favourite 

 haunts. 



Though least in size, the glittering mantle 

 bi^^^^^^^s- of the humming-bird entitles it to the first 

 place in the list of the birds of the new 

 world. It may truly be called the bird of paradise ; 

 and had it existed in the old world, it would have 

 claimed the title instead of the bird which has now the 

 honour to bear it. See it darting through the air 

 almost as quick as thought ! — now it is within a yard of 

 your face ! — in an instant gone ; — now it flutters from 

 flower to flower to sip the silver dew — it is now a ruby 

 — now a topaz — now an emerald — now all burnished 

 with gold ! It would be arrogant to pretend to describe 

 this winged gem of natiu^e after Euffon's elegant de- 

 scription of it. 



