SOUTH AMERICA. 



287 



the rest of the family, from the peahen to the qxiail, are Fourth 

 known to Lay a considerable number. The foot of this ^^^^^^^^ 



bird is very small in proportion, but the back part of the 

 leg bears no resemblance to that of the larger Tinamou ; 

 hence one might conclude that it sleeps on the ground. 

 Independent of the hollow trees, the Vampires have 

 another hiding-place. They clear out the inside of the 

 large ants' nests, and then take possession of the shell. 

 I had gone about half a day down the river, to a part of 

 the forest where the Wallaba trees were in great plenty. 

 The seeds had ripened, and I was in hopes to have got 

 the large scarlet Ara which feeds on them. But, unfor- 

 tunately, the time had passed away, and the seeds had 

 fallen. 



While ranging here in the forest, we stopped under an 

 ant's nest ; and, by the dirt below, conjectured that it 

 had got new tenants. Thinking it no harm to dislodge 

 them, vi et armis," an Indian boy ascended the tree ; 

 but before he reached the nest, out flew above a dozen 

 Vampires. 



I have formerly remarked, that I wished to have it in TheVam- 

 my power to say, that I had been sucked by the Vampire. ^ 

 I gave them many an opportunity, but they ahvays fought 

 shy ; and though they now sucked a young man of the 

 Indian breed very severely, as he was sleeping in his 

 hammock in the shed next to mine, they would have 

 nothing to do with me. His great toe seemed to have 



