AND AMONG THE BOTOCUDOS. 



321 



and take them to their huts ; there they roast them at the fire, and 

 chew them ; they contain a strong nourishing pith, which tastes 

 exactly like our potatoes. 



When I had attained my object, and gained an acquaintance with 

 the Botocudos who had arrived at the station, I returned to the Ilha 

 do Chave, where my people were expecting me. On a small neigh- 

 bouring island, which was covered with thick bushes, and separated 

 from the main land only by a shallow inconsiderable channel, they 

 had discovered deer, and killed one of them. It was of the species 

 called guazupita by Azara, the most common kind all over Brazil. 

 The flesh of this animal we found very different from that of ours in 

 Europe ; it is very far from well-flavoured, extremely lean, dry, and 

 of such a coarse grain, that it can scarcely be compared with the 

 flesh of an old cow. However, as the choice of provisions in these 

 solitary wilds is extremely limited, every animal fit to eat was wel- 

 come to us. We remained another week on this island, during which 

 time we had frequent rain ; but my hunters indemnified me for the 

 inconvenience it occasioned, by procuring many interesting additions 

 to my collections. A large owl regularly uttered its loud cry every 

 morning and evening in the twilight. After a long search for it, we 

 at last succeeded in taking it. It seems to belong to a hitherto non- 

 descript species*; we also killed the great whitish variegated goat- 

 sucker, (caprimulgus grandis. Linn.) whose loud whistle resounds 

 far and wide through the gloomy solitude of these forests, and other 

 beautiful birds, among which I shall mention the black humming- 



* Sti ix .puhatrix, so called from its note, which resembles a knocking ; without ears ; 

 male bird 17 inches 4 lines long ; 44 inches 9 lines broad ; greater part of the plumage of 

 a beautiful light reddish brown grey colour ; a white spot on the throat; scapular feathers, 

 delicately marbled of a dark colour, the wings and tail the same ; quill-feathers with darker 

 and lighter transverse stripes ; all the under parts of a light yellow, inclining, on the breast and 

 belly, to a rusty reddish yellow. 



2 T 



