100 
THE AMAZON AND MADEIHA lltVEIlS. 
arid Avcakcr than the European class ; and, tliough they are together 
by hundreds, and the Erazilian hunters generally bring them doAvn at 
close quarters, Ave never heard of any damage occasioned by theiib 
beyond badly Avounding some dogs. In the middle of the back, these 
animals have a sort of gland, tilled with a greasy, strongly scented 
substance, reminding one of musk, Avhich, Avhen ii'ritated or hardly 
jnu'sued by the dogs, they emit through a small opening. As soon a,s 
tlie peccari is killed, it is the hunter’s first care to sec that this gland 
is cut out, lest its foul odour should communicate itself to the meat, 
and so render it uneatable.* 
The monkeys, the queerest and nimblest of all the inhabitants of 
the AV'oods, Avho Avith infinite agility SAving themselves, in numerous 
troops, from bough to bough, are often hunted by the Brazilians ; 
but I should not advise a European to partake of the sport. Their 
piteous cries, if they bo not killed on the spot, their desperate, almost 
human gestures, and their excited examination of the bleeding Around, 
Avill more than suffice to spoil the pleasure of the day for any one of 
sensitive feelings. 
Gallinaceous birds, and parrots in endless A’ariet)^, are fmmd every- 
Avhero ; yet the latter, especially the long-tailed macaArs, are exceedingly 
shy and very difficult to shoot, Avhile of the former twenty or thii’ty 
together may sometimes be seen in the above-mentioned barreiros or 
clay-pits. Amongst them the jaeus [Penelope cristata) and jaeutingas 
[Penelope jacutinga), of the size of our tame foAvls, and the jacamms 
{Psophia crepitans, P. ochroptera, P. leueoptera'), somewhat larger, are 
considered excellent eating, f When to all these we add the multitude 
of smaller quadrupeds, such as cutias [Dasyprocta fuUginosa and D. 
nguti) ; coatys [Nasua socialis and N. solitariu) ; pacas ( Coelogcngs Paea)', 
and lai’ge docks of ducks, mutuns [Crax), herons and Avater-foAvl, the 
* The capiviira (water-hog), a rodent of the shape of the Gniuea-pig, hut of the size 
of oiu- tame pig, has a similar gland on the hack of its nose, the contents of which smell 
BA'en worse, if that he possible ; and for this reason the eapivara is seldom hunted. 
f A highly prized hecause rare hird is the aidmma, or alicorne {PalameHm cornuta), 
whose strange-sounding crj’ is said to denote a change of weather. It has a liorny 
protuheranee on the head of 3 to 4 inches length, Avliich tlio Tapuyos believe to 
he a strong talisman. We saw at Maiuios a little silver chain, belonging to an old 
half-caste Avomati, from Avhich wore suspended, besides the horn of the anhuma, the 
formidable claws of an antcatcr {Tammnlua hnndeira), a tooth of a jaguar, and bristles of 
difioreut animals, sot in silver ; and I rouUy believe the old squaw would not have 
parted witli her treasure for aU the wealth of California. 
