so 



Prince MaximiliavLS 



lied surucua (tragon viridis, Linn.) was very common ; its voice 

 was heard everywhere, it is a note which is often repeated, and 

 sinks from high to low. We soon learned to imitate it, and could 

 thus easily entice them to perch at hand, on a low bough, where 

 they were easily shot. Other birds (dindrocola^tes, tllige'ri,) 

 are equally plentiful, and are found in company with the beautiful 

 woodpecker, with a pale yellow tuft ( picus ßavescens ), with the 

 red-headed woodpecker (charpentier ä huppe et cou rouge, azara) 

 and the picus lineatus pecking against the great stems. We killed 

 many of the small parrots that had a pointed tail, and called here 

 tiribas* Towards evening, I succeeded in obtaining the paro (pie 

 ä gor^e ensanglantee of azara.) It is a beautiful black bird, of 

 he size of a crow, the front of its neck being the loveliest red. 

 Mr. Sellow did not discover many new plants to-day, but found 

 frequently the beautiful alstrameria lighu, Linn, with an agreeable 

 red and white striped flower. He also caught a serpent, which is 

 very common here, and which appears to form the ornament of its 

 species ; this beautiful reptile is known here by the name.pf cohia 

 coral, or coraes ; it must not be confounded with that coraes which 

 is described in the works of lacepede, daudin, and others. The 

 one found here is well entitled to the name of the coral-snake ; the 

 clearest and most shining scarlet-red is intermixed with black and 

 greenish white-rings on its smooth and beautiful body, so that jthis 

 harmless reptile, may be justly compared with a string of coral. 

 I have several times put it in spirits, but never could succeed 

 in preserving its red colour. In the Linnean system this species 

 is undoubtedly described under the name of coluber fulvius, from 

 some individuals which had lost their colour in spirits. 



We supped with our host, but, according to custom, none of the 

 females of the family were at the meal ; but to see the strange guests 

 they contrived to peep through the joints of the doors and shut- 

 ters. Male and female negro slaves waited at the table. On ques- 

 tioning our kind host on several subjects connected with the state ot 

 the country, it seemed as if he either could not or would not commu 

 nicate any information. The next day being Sunday, we set out, 

 after mass, early in the morning. The heat of the day being ex 

 cessive, we were glad to refresh with some cold punch and excel 

 lent oranges. These we could procure in many districts for no- 

 thing ; they may be eat in the greatest heat, ana in any quantity, 

 without the risque of injury to the constitution, except, as it is 



* The parrot, known on the east coast by the name of siriha^ appears to be of a kind 

 at yet undescribed, and which I have called jp^iiacu* amentaiis. It is about the size of 

 a thrush, and has a long tail like a -wedge, and measures 8 inches ll-12ths in length ; 

 plumage green the crown and back of the head brownish grey ; cheeks and chin green ; 

 between the eyes and ears brownish red ; behind the ears, at the side of the neck, a 

 yellowish-orange spot ; the front of the neck ethereal blue ; on the belly and iliopygiumy 

 a blood-red spot Psittucus erythrogaster of the Berlin museum. 



