1118 
My Boa Constrigtoii Tüils to Escapj^.. 
hawk on a pigeou, 1 tlucw myself on my prey, knelt on it, and gripping 
its neck with both hands, managed to strangle it. On Misseyarai seeing 
that the real danger A\as over, lie hurried np when 1 called, loosened 
one of my braces, made a sling of it and passed it over my hands on to 
the creature's neck where it was drawn as taut as possible. The closeness 
with which the trees were set, again and again prevented the powerful 
beast doing a twist, and nuide it easier for us to prove our superiority, but 
it Avas only A\ hen Ave liually dragged the animal into the open that I recog- 
nised for the lirst time Avhat a monster I had been engaged in fighting. It 
measured 12] feet and Avas of iiiuiiense girth. Although I had met the 
Boa mnrina up to a length of 2('> feet, it never had such a girth as in 
the GonJaciniura Avith a length of from 8 to 10 ft. Exerting our great- 
est efforts and care not to damag«' tlie skin, aa'c towe<l the heavy brute 
to the village Avhich Ave reached dii])ping Avith perspiration. It being 
already too late in the day to skin it, I reserved this business for next 
day, but as past experience in connection Avith the vitality of snakes had 
taught me to be careful, my braces Avere replaced l)y a stronger sling that 
I tied to the house-posts. 
419. Loud and immoderate laughter together Avith a peculiar hissing 
sound Avoke me in the morning out of my sleep. I hastily jumped out 
of the hammock and ANent outside the door. The snake had really 
revived and AAas making teri4ble efforts to free itself. A Avhole circle 
of Indians had collected around and w^ere trying to increase its rage and 
fury by teasing it.. ^Vith gaping jaws it uttered its uncanny note, 
something like the hissing of a goose, Avhile its eyes seemed to Avant to 
hurst out of their orbits Avith passion: the tongue Avas in continual 
motion.. If anyone drcAV close during the hissing, a musk-like smell Avas 
noticeable. To put an end to its troubles as 'quickly as possible, I shot 
the brute in the head: its beautiful skin was unfortunately lost sul)se- 
quently. 
450. Amongst insects an innumerable quantity of Cicadae especially 
attracted our attention owing to their ringing up their shrill concert 
legularly every day at noon and C o'clock evening. A choir of a 
thousand voices then sounded from under the green leaves of the trees 
and bushes, but it Avas hardly pleasant to the ear. At the same time as 
the evening concert, a l)ird, Avhich in spite of every effort on our part 
was never to be seen, could ahvays be heard striking a shrill piping note 
that had the greatest resemblance to the Avhistle of a loc(»motive. 
The creatures commenced their noise Avith the punctuality of a 
clock, the opening of the concert varying at most from 2 to 3 minutes. 
Other animals also let their voices be heard at other definite 
times, so that one can tell the time of day even without a Avatch, 
Avithout it lieing necessary for the sun to be visible. Daybreak and 
sunset are thus heralded by parrots with a piercing shriek as they come 
every morning at the same hour from out öf the higher forests to 
settle on the loAver lands Avliere they bring Wie day to a close, and as 
they return to roost just as punctually and regularly shortly before sun- 
down. Linnanis. proposed making a clock of floAvers., but the tropics 
possess a much surer and more accurate one of animals. Large numbers 
