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APPENDIX— ZOOLOGY. 



varieteis have been stated at six or seven, but tliere are a great many more : Padre Cazal has seen ten 

 different kinds. An European would never have sopposed that a bird so small as the end of one's 

 finger could exist, furnished as it is with a bill, feathers, wings, and intestines, similar to the larger 

 kind, and he would be naturally disposed to consider it but a creature of imagination, until he visited 

 its native country, and daily beheld it fluttering like a butterfly at every flower, and humming a gentle 

 chirrup. It has long wings compared with the size of the body. The largest, of the size of a very 

 small wren, are of an indigo colour, with a white spot upon the back. The second species diff"er only 

 from the first in being smaller and not having a spot, both have a long tail much forked. The third 

 kind and size are gray, and make their nests in inhabited houses, in the form of a little pocket, 

 suspended from the point of a straw'. The fourth variety are entirely green. The fifth are the same 

 colour and size, with a white spot upon the breast. The sixth difl^ers only from the preceding in 

 liaving a very short tail. The seventh is of the same colour and size, with the tail yellow. The 

 eighth is the colour of the nightingale, the breast finely speckled with white. The ninth is of a bril- 

 liant green, with the wings and tail dark, the beak short, slender, and yellow. All the others have 

 it long, pointed, very delicate, and straight, with the exception of the gray ones and those of the 

 nightingale colour, who have it a little curved. The tenth kind is daik, or almost black, with a short 

 tail of the colour of fire, the bill black, and of medium length ; when turned towards the spectator, 

 the Ihroat and breast exhibit at one instant various colours, according to the movements of the 

 bird, at one time that of Aurora, when most bright, or like gold melted in the crucible, followed, on 

 a sudden, sometimes by a suffusion of green, at others by blue, and by white, without ever losing 

 an inimitable brilliancy. The head, which is black, appears ornamented with a little crest of the 

 same colour when the bird has its side towards the observer, and when it presents the front it 

 appears studded with sparkling rubies, or all of a brilliant scarlet, which insensibly changes to reful- 

 gent yellow. They generally have the tongue very long, the legs exceedingly short, and the eyes 

 black ; their principal aliment is the juice or honey of flowers, which they extract, not as the bee 

 but in the same manner as the butterfly. Some of them have the tongue cleft. 



Ema, or Emu, is the Ostrich of the old world, and is the largest bird of this country ; its body is 

 round, and covered with long gray feathers, standing on end; the legs thick and long, with three 

 short and stout toes ; two sort of spears are at the joints of the wings, which are not sufficient to fly 

 with, but in the plains it surpasses the horse in swiftness, and is difficult to lafo, even when 

 the lofador is mounted upon a fleet horse. It has no tail, and when it elevates its head it is the 

 height of a man. Its feathers are esteemed for plumes, and the skin is used for shoes. 



Enconteo is the size of a greenfinch, long, delicate, and dark, with a yellow spot at the joint 

 of the wing. There are two other sorts, of a jet colour, one of which has white spots, and the 

 other red. 



Feiticeiro is the size of a lark, between yellow and green on the upper part, the belly ash colour, 

 with the bill of a blackbird, eyes like rubies, and a small crest. 



Galleirao is the size of a pigeon, the upper part green, and the lower purple, with a very 

 short tail, long yellow legs, the neck slender, the head small, with a flat comb, smooth and white, 

 the bill short and thick and the colour of red sealing wax, with the extremity yellow. It frequents 

 the margins of lakes, and its flesh is savory. There is another species of this bird, somewhat vary- 

 ing from it. 



Gallo do Bando is the size of a sparrow, black, with a white spot upon the back, and the top 

 of the head green, having a long tail. 



