%6o TRAVELS IN 
afforded us from the rays of the fan. When 
night approached, we halted under a great mi- 
rnofej and after we had kindled a fire we fat 
doT7n in a circle round it. 
"On the tree was one of the vaft nefts above 
mentioned, forming the feat of a republic of 
birds. Whether they were incommoded by 
the fmoke, or raiflook the light of our fire for 
that of day, many of them flitted among the 
branches, while others by their twittering pro- 
duced an agreeable though coofufed noife. 
This was a favourable opportunity for me to- 
procure fome. I afcended the tree, and flip- 
ped my hand into one of the cells : but this 
motion, notwithftanding all my care, heaving 
fhaken the hive, all the inhabitants took flight, 
and a prodigious number ifllied from all the 
holes at once. 
However, I fi:ill advanced my hand, and 
prefently touched fome thing, by which I was 
feverely bitten. This furprifed me, becaufe 
the birds that build thefe nefl:s, being of the 
fame genus as the fparrows of the Cape, could 
not inflia a wound fo painful : confequently 
fome ftrange fpecies muft be in the neft, which 
I was curious to know. The bite was made : 
I did 
