21 iVONDEHS OF THE TROPICAL FORESTS. 
fancies liimself close to liis comrades of tlie chase, or in 
the raore dangerous neighbourhood of a wild tribe of 
IndiAua. Witii deep attention he listens to the sounds, 
niitil he discovers them to be the iiielauchol}'' cry of the 
wood-pijreon. 
Tho deepest silence reigna at noon, ^hen the sun 
becomes too powerful even for tlif^ children of tlie torrid 
zone ; and many creatures?, pai-ticularly the bii*ds, sink 
into a profound sleep. Then all the warm-blooded animals 
seek the shnde, and only the cold reptiles — alligators, 
lizards, salamanders — stretch themselves upon the glowing 
rocks in the bed of the forest streams, or on sunny slopes, 
and, with raised head and distended jaws, seem to inhale 
with delight the sultry air. 
As the evening approaches, the noise of the morning 
Ijegins to reawaken. With loud cries the parrots return 
from their distant teeding-gronnds to the trees on which 
they are accustomed to rest at night; and, as the monkeys 
Baluted the rising sun, so, chattering or howling, they 
now watch him sinking in the west. 
With twilight a new world of animals— which, as long 
as the day lasted, remained concealed in the recesses of 
the forest — awakens from its midday torpor, and pre- 
pares to enjoy its nightly revels. Tlien bats of hideoos 
size wing their noiseless flight through the wood, chasing 
the giant hawk-moths and beetles, which have also waited 
for tho evening hour, while the felida) quit their lairs, 
ready to spring on the red stag near some solitary pool, 
or on the unwieldy tapir, who, having slept during the 
heat of the day, seeks, as soon as evening approaches, 
the low-banked river, where lie loves to wallow in the 
mud. Then also the shy opossum quits his nest in hollow 
trees, or under some arch-like vaulted root, to search for 
insects or fruits, and tho cautious agouti sallies from the 
bush. 
In our forests scarcely a single tone is heard after sun- 
set; but in the tropical zone many loud voices celebrate 
