Chap. I. 
STOEMS. 
25 
and lay their eggs at this time — for instance, the ground 
doves (Charnaepelia). The trees retain their verdure 
throughout, and many of them flower in the dry months. 
Lizards do not become torpid, and insects are seen 
both in the larva and the perfect states, showing that 
the aridity of the climate has not a general influence on 
the development of the species. Some kinds of but- 
terflies, especially the little hair-streaks (Theclse), whose 
larv90 feed on the trees, make their appearance only 
when the dry season is at its height. The land mol- 
luscs of the district, are the only animals which gesti- 
vate ; they are found in clusters, Bulimi and Helices, 
concealed in hollow trees, the mouths of their shells 
closed by a film of mucus. The fine weather breaks 
up often with great suddenness about the begin- 
ning of February. Violent squalls from the west or 
the opposite direction to the trade-wind then occur. 
They give very little warning, and the first generally 
catches the people unprepared. They fall in the night, 
and blowing directly into the harbour, with the first 
gust sweep all vessels from their anchorage ; in a few 
minutes, a mass of canoes, large and small, including 
schooners of fifty tons burthen, are clashing together, 
pell mell, on the beach. I have reason to remember 
these storms, for I was once caught in one myself, whilst 
crossing the river in an undecked boat, about a day's 
journey from Santarem. They are accompanied with 
terrific electric explosions, the sharp claps of thunder 
falling almost simultaneously with the blinding flashes 
of lightning. Torrents of rain follow the first outbreak ; 
the wind then gradually abates, and the rain subsides 
