334 STAY ON THE RIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE, 



We secured a large medusa pelagica, which the sea drove toward 

 the shore ; and extracted from its intestines a small whitish crab, 

 which was still quite alive. We observed a great number of carrion 

 vultures, which often sat all crowded together on one tree : besides 

 these birds, we remarked also gulls, which flew screaming about the 

 mouth of the river, and the sea eagle or osprey, (falco halicetos. 

 Linn.) which hovered over the water, eagerly watching for fish. I 

 had often seen this beautiful bird of prey, but it had always been too 

 cautious for my hunters : on my arrival at Belmonte, I found it how- 

 ever, in the collection which my people, who had remained behind, 

 had made in my absence. It resembles in every respect the German 

 osprey, and like many other birds, seems to contradict the assertion, 

 that the animated creation of America has nothing in common with 

 that of the other parts of the globe. 



On the 28th of December I arrived again at Belmonte, and pro- 

 ceeded to make the necessary preparations for my further journey 

 northwards, along the coast. During a stay of three months and a 

 half on the Belmonte, our collection of natural history had received 

 a very interesting addition of remarkable objects, v,'hich had been ob- 

 tained partly in the forest up the river, and partly near the town, on 

 a large lagoa, called the hrafo, or the arm, and which, though of no 

 great breadth, extends for several leagues. Great numbers of water- 

 fowl live here, especially ducks, divers, gulls, herons, sand-pipers, 

 storks ( tuyuyu^ here called Jabiru ), &c. My hunters were never in 

 want of fresh game here, while the people in the town were suffering 

 want : the lagoa abounds also in fish, for which reason the inhabitants 

 of this country are generally found occupied in fishing. This water 

 is enclosed on all sides by a campo, or heath, four leagues in ex- 

 tent, where great numbers of cattle are bred. It is said that there 

 were originally some thousands here, but the number is very much 

 reduced. A large ounce (yaguaritej, which now haunted the 



