18 



Prince Maximilian^ s 



shaded by lofty, old mimosa. This tree is frequently met with in 

 the Brazihan as well as in other tropical woods. I soon discovered 

 the most beautiful birds ; the deep red beautiful Tije (tanagra 

 Brasilia, Linn.), the brownish red cuckoo {cuculus cayanus, Linn.) 

 with its long tail, and other beautiful species, were seen in the 

 dark shadow of the cool river. I soon killed a number of birds, 

 and thus became acquainted with the difficulties of the chase in 

 this country, for all the bushes, particularly the mimosa, are full 

 of small thorns, and the creeping plants (cipos) are so thickly in- 

 terwoven with each other, and around the stems, that without a 

 broad wood knife (facao), it is not possible to penetrate these wilds, 

 Strong boots or hunting shoes are equally necessary. The small 

 muskitoes in the shadow on the bank of the stream are very trou- 

 blesome. They call these insects marui or murui {maruim) ; 

 though very small, by their sting they give rise to terrible itching. 

 Englishmen have assured me that they are the same insects as the 

 sand flies in the West Indian islands*. 



We were, however, richly indemnified for our trouble, by the 

 novelty of the surrounding scenery, and particularly by the varie- 

 gated and beautiful plumage of the birds. Here, too, we met 

 with magnificent flowers and plants ; among others, in the shade, 

 a deep-red blooming salvia, which Mr. Sellow called splendeus, 

 and a beautiful justicia, with rose-coloured flowers. As it is ever 

 found to be very wet in the shaded bushes, from the nightly dew, 

 notwithstanding the great heat, I betook myself to a dry open 

 meadow, which was covered with low copse wood, particularly with 

 santana and the asclepias anassavica, with its orange coloured 

 flowers. Here swarmed a number of colibus, which, buzzing like 

 bees, flew around the flowers. On my return, I killed several of 

 the trochilus saphirinus. Linn, which have blue throats, and coral- 

 coloured beaks, and are very common here. I also observed the 

 small pretty kragencolibu, (trochilus orinatus,) with a rust-coloured 

 tuft. 



In this, our first chase, we saw no quadrupeds, except a small 

 tapiti {lepus Brasiliensis, Lmn.) This small hare is common 

 through all A merica ; it is like our wild rabbit, and eats well. 

 We now left the Quajintibo, and reached a thick wood of rhexia- 

 bushes, 10 or 12 feet high, intermixed with high trees and grass- 

 plots ; these low grounds are shut in on all sides by high moun- 

 tains, covered with wood. The crotophaga ani, Linn, flew and 

 hopped among the black cattle which were feeding on the mear 

 dows, as did also the bentavi (latiius pitangiia. Linn.) which is al- 

 ways calling out its name, bentavi ! or tictivi ! In the neighbour- 

 hood of a farenda, (a seat with a farm and plantations,) Mr. Sel- 

 low found a new kind of carina^ with yellow flowers. A little far- 

 ther, we reached a spot, environed by lofty wild mountains, and 



• S. Oldendap. Caract. I. p. 123. 



