'"lyavels in the Br anils. 



(vaneUiiS caycnmnsh), lierons, gulls, sea-swallows, and ducks, 

 were in great hunter, the lapwings called quer-quer fly about the 

 head of the humber, when he approaches these young ones, like 

 our species in Europe. Upright cactus trees opened their white 

 flowers, they had square, pent, and hexangular branches, but 

 seemed nevertheless to belong to one or, at most, to two species, 

 for these strange prickly plants vary much in the number of their 

 points according to their age. A prickle of a cactus plant enter- 

 mg into an animal's hoof or joint, easily lames it. In the sand we 

 found the iurnera ulmifolia, and in the marshes two white-bloom- 

 ing nymphaea- species, the itidlca, and another, named by Mr. 

 Sellow, erosa, with very large flowers ; also, a high w^hite bloom- 

 ing a/2>w«, probably also new, with narrow, oblong leaves. This 

 large wilderness is covered with wild cattle, even at a distance of 

 from 18 or 21 English miles from any human habitation. They 

 are annually collected by the owl :rs of the neighbouring Jazcndas, 

 once or twice into a coro/, or place surrounded Vvith pahsadoes, 

 where they are counted and marked. We took up our night- 

 quarters in the so-called Coral de Battuha-, five legoas from Pau- 

 lista, which contains within the fence a large loam hut. The 

 country is a large plain {campo), frequently containing water in its 

 shallow depth, which afterwards forms the lagoas 



Our provisions being very short, we attempted to kill a beast, 

 but did not succeed that evening. In the hut, which let in the 

 rain through the roof, we got but little rest, being at the same 

 time tormented by an immense number of fleas, and by a host of 

 hichos dopt (Sand-flea, puleoc penetrans), of v/hich we drew, on 

 the following day, a great number out of our feet. This insect 

 penetrates between the skin and the flesh, on the feet, about the 

 soles and toes; sometimes, also, through the nails of the liands. 

 But it is an exaggeration so say that they penetrate even to tlie 

 muscle-flesh, as they remain between the skin and flesh. Their^ 

 presence is felt by a violent itcliing, which afterwards cnanges into 

 a slight pain ; therefore it is well to prick them cut immediately, 

 without injuring their body, filled with eggs. By rubbing a little 

 snufi", or unguentum basi/icum, which is to be had from the apo- 

 thecaries in Brazil, into the small wound, after the insect is taken 

 out, all inflammation is prevented. 



Notwithstanding the morning being dull and rainy, we renewed 

 our chase, and at last succeeded in killing a heifer, which serving 

 to satiate our hunger, we betook ourselves to hunting. We kill- 

 ed an ibis, with a naked flesh-coloured face, described by azaua 

 under the name of curucau rase^ likewise two species of falcons, a 

 fine new species of kite,* and the falco bnsarellus, with a rose-coloured 



• Falco palusirisy 19 8-12 inches long, a yellovfish while (owl-trown, like omfaIc9 

 toancii^), mixed with dark brpwn, eurrounds the head ; ever the eye a white ßtripe i 

 lower parts of a reddish pale yellow, with dark brown long stripes ; lower |)ü?t thg 



