NATURAL HISTORY. 563 
tivate, no water to slake his thirst, no wood to supply him 
with fuel ; nor can the domestic animals so necessary to him 
exist. But while these inferior animals have such undisputed 
sway unmolested by man, their lives are, nevertheless, attended 
with other dangers. It might be supposed that the venom of 
the tarantula, the centipede, the scorpion, and the rattlesnake 
would effectually preserve them from all enemies. But such 
is not the case. A most voracious bird is found here, called 
by the Mexicans the “‘paysano,’ and by the Americans the 
“ chapporal cock,” which feeds on these hideous creatures. He 
even ventures to attack the rattlesnake, and, as if aware of 
the latter’s venom, protects himself from its fangs by using his 
wing as a shield. Many instances have been related to me by 
eye-witnesses of contests between the rattlesnake and this bird, 
in which the latter always came off conqueror. His aim is to 
seize the reptile by the back of his neck, when he may be con- 
sidered as vanquished. With the exception of this bird and 
the hog, every animal has an instinctive dread of rattle- 
snakes, and will fly at their approach. The hog eats them with 
impunity. Other dangers attend these reptiles from crows, 
buzzards, and hawks ; while the serpent tribe get their living 
on the lizards and frogs. 
Another peculiarity of the desert is its remarkable vegeta- 
tion; every thing being armed with thorns. First comes the 
endless variety of cacti, to look at some of which will make 
one shudder. These are seen from the tiny plant not larger 
than the finger to the giant petahaya raising its tall stem to 
the height of fifty feet. Then come the mezquit or acacia, 
the tornilla, the fouquiera, the agaves, and yuccas, all armed 
with the most terrific spikes or thorns. Hven among the tender 
vrasses, the mezquit has its minute thorns. But these thorny 
and angular forms are not confined to animal and vegetable 
life : they seem to be extended to nature even in the grandest 
aspect in which she here appears. The mountain ridges, 
as I have before observed, present the most singular summits, 
