A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



347 



About two hundred paces farther on the verdant ravine 

 came to an end, and we were surrounded by cactus-plants. 

 Lucien employed himself hunting lizards, and Gringalet 

 seemed to think he was proving his intelligence by running 

 in front of the boy, so as to frighten away all the game. 

 The young hunter succeeded, however, in catching a green 

 saurian — an anolis — which, being more courageous than 

 lizards generally are, tried to bite the hand that held it 

 prisoner, and angrily puffed up its crest, which is variegated 

 like a butterfly's wing. 



Suddenly Gringalet barked uneasily ; then we heard a 

 shrill whistle, and immediately afterwards the cry of a ca- 

 yote. I called in the dog, and, with my finger on the trig- 

 ger of my gun, cautiously advanced, telling Lucien to keep 

 at my side. We walked so noiselessly that we surprised 

 two or three adders which were coiled up in the sun. The 

 screech of an owl now struck on our ears. I exchanged a 

 look of surprise with my companion ; this was neither the 

 time nor place for a bird of this kind. A fresh yelping and 

 barking then resounded ; but this time it was so near to us 

 that we halted. Gringalet dashed on before us, and four 

 children appeared, repulsing the dog with cactus-leaves in 

 their hands, which they used as shields. 



" Well !" cried Sumichrast, " here we have the cayote, 

 the owl, and the dog, which have so puzzled us." 



My companion was not wrong : the young Indians were 

 carrying provisions to their elder brother, who was taking 

 care of a flock of goats. In order to enliven their journey, 

 they amused themselves by imitating the cries of different 

 animals, and they did it with so much accuracy that we had 

 been completely duped. 



About three o'clock, my friend, who was anxious to pre- 

 pare the birds he had shot, left us to return to Coyotepec's 

 dwelling. I continued walking, accompanied by Lucien, 



