543 



particularly the cavies (the acurl and the lapa-f), 

 by the structure of their teeth, and the incon- 

 ceivable perseverance with which they pursue 

 their destructive operations, succeed in perfo- 

 rating the fruit of the juvia. As soon as the 

 triangular nuts are spread on the ground, all 

 the animals of the forest, the monkeys, the ma- 

 naviris, the squirrels, the cavies, the parrots, 

 and the macaws, hasten thither, to dispute the 

 prey. They have all strength enough to break 

 the ligneous tegument of the seed ; they get out 

 the kernel, and carry it to the tops of the trees. 

 " It is their festival also," said the Indians who 

 had returned from the harvest : and on hearing 

 their complaints of the animals you perceive, 

 that they think themselves alone the legitimate 

 masters of the forest. 



The frequency of the juvia to the east of 

 Esmeralda seems to indicate, that the Flora of 

 the Amazon begins at that part of the Upper 

 Oroonoko, which extends south of the moun- 

 tains. This is in some sort a new proof of the 

 union of two basins of rivers. M. Bonpland 

 has very clearly shown the means, which should 

 be employed to multiply the bertholletia excel- 

 sa on the banks of the Oroonoko, the Apure, 

 the Meta, and throughout the province of Vene- 

 zuela. In those places where this tree grows 



f Cavia agati, c. paca. 



