8336 



Mollusks. 



Nephilae, giant spiders, with gold and silver spotted bodies, hang head 

 downwards in the middle of wide-spread webs suspended from point 

 to point ; other spiders, shortlegged and bloated, guard silken bags 

 filled with little ones, in the deep axils of the leaves, while among the 

 ragged fibres of the root are Juli, Centipedes, and Polydesmi. Besides 

 the Helicinae I find a little brown Bulimulus. 



At the little precipitous Ilha-do-Foucinhos, I discover Cyclotus Inca 

 or an allied species among the dead leaves on the summit, and in a 

 little pond at the base a Planorbis and a Cyclaeus. In kindling a 

 beacon-fire our hands become smutty, when looking around we spy 

 an excellent basin formed by Nature out of the core of a decapitated 

 aloe, and containing about a quart of clean rain water. At the base 

 I unearth a huge annelid, eighteen inches in length, a species of Chae- 

 togaster I believe. Turkey buzzards watch our movements from aloft, 

 and solitary on a pointed crag is a noble bare-legged falcon. Another 

 day I cross the " hidden waters," as the Indians call the harbour, and 

 find myself among groups of negroes holding a market squatting on 

 the ground ; they are laughing and chattering as is their wont, gaily 

 discussing each others merits and recommending the flavour of their 

 durians, mammy-apples and bananas. In the far distance are the 

 Organ Mountains, and glorious glimpses of purple valleys and emerald 

 hills. Under my feet, among old fallen trees, are crawling Veronicellse, 

 singular members of the slug tribe hitherto unknown to me. 



The uniform sober features of the Cape offer a striking contrast to 

 the glowing scenery of Rio, but I must linger there a moment, if only 

 to mention a peculiarity in the habits of Helix globulus, Mull. As I 

 am wandering about the broad base of Simonsberg I take refuge from 

 a storm of wind and rain in a fish-house near the shore, and the 

 amount of fish I encounter is quite startling. There are fish in great 

 salt tubs, heaps of fish lying on the ground, cartloads of fish, boatloads 

 of fish, fish split open on long tables, fish covering all the rocks out- 

 side, stacks of fish, fish by thousands drying on poles. The weather 

 has been stormy of late, and as I proceed along the shore I encounter 

 a stranded fiddle-fish or Rhinobatis, half shark and half ray. The 

 strand is covered with other casualties to fish and crab, and an entire 

 flotilla of violet snails or Ianthina has suffered shipwreck. Out at sea 

 only two little boats are visible fishing for snook, between Noah's Ark 

 and the Roman Rocks. The wild waves come tumbling in with a deep 

 hollow roar, and on the huge bare rocks sit the cormorants drying 

 their dusky wings, and the foolish penguins, gorged with fish, dozing 

 in the fitful sungleams. Three skulls of the right whale are bleaching 



