the naturalist on the river amazons-第26部分

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ear　roundand　attracting　a　great　number　of　hummingbirds。　Every　day；　in　the　cooler　hours　of　the　morning；　and　in　the　evening　from　four　o'clock　until　six；　they　were　to　be　seen　whirring　about　the　trees　by　scores。　Their　motions　are　unlike　those　of　all　other　birds。　They　dart　to　and　fro　so　swiftly　that　the　eye　can　scarcely　follow　them；　and　when　they　stop　before　a　flower；　it　is　only　for　a　few　moments。　They　poise　themselves　in　an　unsteady　manner；　their　wings　moving　with　inconceivable　rapidity；　probe　the　flower；　and　then　shoot　off　to　another　part　of　the　tree。　They　do　not　proceed　in　that　methodical　manner　which　bees　follow；　taking　the　flowers　seriatim；　but　skip　about　from　one　part　of　the　tree　to　another　in　the　most　capricious　way。　Sometimes　two　males　close　with　each　other　and　fight；　mounting　upwards　in　the　struggle；　as　insects　are　often　seen　to　do　when　similarly　engaged；　and　then　separating　hastily　and　darting　back　to　their　work。　Now　and　then　they　stop　to　rest；　perching　on　leafless　twigs；　where　they　may　be　sometimes　seen　probing；　from　the　places　where　they　sit；　the　flowers　within　their　reach。　The　brilliant　colours　with　which　they　are　adorned　cannot　be　seen　whilst　they　are　fluttering　about；　nor　can　the　different　species　be　distinguished　unless　they　have　a　deal　of　white　hue　in　their　plumage；　such　as　Heliothrix　auritus；　which　is　wholly　white　underneath；　although　of　a　glittering　green　colour　above；　and　the　white…tailed　Florisuga　mellivora。

There　is　not　a　great　variety　of　hummingbirds　in　the　Amazons　region；　the　number　of　species　being　far　smaller　in　these　uniform　forest　plains　than　in　the　diversified　valleys　of　the　Andes；　under　the　same　parallels　of　latitude。　The　family　is　divisible　into　two　groups；　contrasted　in　form　and　habits：　one　containing　species　which　live　entirely　in　the　shade　of　the　forest；　and　the　other　comprising　those　which　prefer　open　sunny　places。　The　forest　species　（Phaethorninae）　are　seldom　seen　at　flowers；　flowers　being；　in　the　shady　places　where　they　abide；　of　rare　occurrence；　but　they　search　for　insects　on　leaves；　threading　the　bushes　and　passing　above　and　beneath　each　leaf　with　wonderful　rapidity。　The　other　group　（Trochilinae）　are　not　quite　confined　to　cleared　places；　as　they　come　into　the　forest　wherever　a　tree　is　in　blossom；　and　descend　into　sunny　openings　where　flowers　are　to　be　found。　But　it　is　only　where　the　woods　are　less　dense　than　usual　that　this　is　the　case；　in　the　lofty　forests　and　twilight　shades　of　the　lowlands　and　islands；　they　are　scarcely　ever　seen。　I　searched　well　at　Caripi；　expecting　to　find　the　Lophornis　Gouldii；　which　I　was　told　had　been　obtained　in　the　locality。　This　is　one　of　the　most　beautiful　of　all　hummingbirds；　having　round　the　neck　a　frill　of　long　white　feathers　tipped　with　golden　green。　I　was　not；　however；　so　fortunate　as　to　meet　with　it。　Several　times　I　shot　by　mistake　a　hummingbird　hawk…moth　instead　of　a　bird。　This　moth　（Macroglossa　Titan）　is　somewhat　smaller　than　hummingbirds　generally　are；　but　its　manner　of　flight；　and　the　way　it　poises　itself　before　a　flower　whilst　probing　it　with　its　proboscis；　are　precisely　like　the　same　actions　of　hummingbirds。　It　was　only　after　many　days'　experience　that　I　learned　to　distinguish　one　from　the　other　when　on　the　wing。　This　resemblance　has　attracted　the　notice　of　the　natives；　all　of　whom；　even　educated　whites；　firmly　believe　that　one　is　transmutable　into　the　other。　They　have　observed　the　metamorphosis　of　caterpillars　into　butterflies；　and　think　it　not　at　all　more　wonderful　that　a　moth　should　change　into　a　hummingbird。　The　resemblance　between　this　hawk…moth　and　a　hummingbird　is　certainly　very　curious；　and　strikes　one　even　when　both　are　examined　in　the　hand。　Holding　them　sideways；　the　shape　of　the　head　and　position　of　the　eyes　in　the　moth　are　seen　to　be　nearly　the　same　as　in　the　bird；　the　extended　proboscis　representing　the　long　beak。　At　the　tip　of　the　moth's　body　there　is　a　brush　of　long　hair…scales　resembling　feathers；　which；　being　expanded；　looks　very　much　like　a　bird's　tail。　But；　of　course；　all　these　points　of　resemblance　are　merely　superficial。　The　negroes　and　Indians　tried　to　convince　me　that　the　two　were　of　the　same　species。　〃Look　at　their　feathers；〃　they　said；　〃their　eyes　are　the　same；　and　so　are　their　tails。〃　This　belief　is　so　deeply　rooted　that　it　was　useless　to　reason　with　them　on　the　subject。　The　Macroglossa　moths　are　found　in　most　countries；　and　have　everywhere　the　same　habits；　one　well…known　species　is　found　in　England。　Mr。　Gould　relates　that　he　once　had　a　stormy　altercation　with　an　English　gentleman；　who　affirmed　that　hummingbirds　were　found　in　England；　for　he　had　seen　one　flying　in　Devonshire；　meaning　thereby　the　moth　Macroglossa　stellatarum。　The　analogy　between　the　two　creatures　has　been　brought　about；　probably；　by　the　similarity　of　their　habits；　there　being　no　indication　of　the　one　having　been　adapted　in　outward　appearance　with　reference　to　the　other。

It　has　been　observed　that　hummingbirds　are　unlike　other　birds　in　their　mental　qualities；　resembling　in　this　respect　insects　rather　than　warm…blooded　vertebrate　animals。　The　want　of　expression　in　their　eyes；　the　small　degree　of　versatility　in　their　actions；　the　quickness　and　precision　of　their　movements；　are　all　so　many　points　of　resemblance　between　them　and　insects。

In　walking　along　the　alleys　of　the　forest；　a　Phaethornis　frequently　crosses　one's　path；　often　stopping　suddenly　and　remaining　poised　in　midair；　a　few　feet　distant　from　the　face　of　the　intruder。　The　Phaethorninae　are　certainly　more　numerousin　the　Amazons　region　that　the　Trochilinae。　They　build　their　nests；　which　are　made　of　fine　vegetable　fibres　and　lichens；　densely　woven　together　and　thickly　lined　with　silk…cotton　from　the　fruit　of　the　samauma　tree　（Eriodendron　samauma）；　and　on　the　inner　sides　lined　with　of　the　tips　of　palm…fronds。　They　are　long　and　purseshaped。　The　young　when　first　hatched　have　very　much　shorter　bills　than　their　parents。　The　only　species　of　Trochilinae　which　I　found　at　Caripi　were　the　little　brassy…green　Polytmus　viridissimus；　the　sapphire　and　emerald　（Thalurania　furcata）；　and　the　large　falcate…winged　Campylopterus　obscurus。

Snakes　were　very　numerous　at　Caripi；　many　harmless　species　were　found　near　the　house；　and　these　sometimes　came　into　the　rooms。　I　was　wandering　one　day　amongst　the　green　bushes　of　Guajara；　a　tree　which　yields　a　grape…like　berry　（Chrysobalanus　Icaco）　and　grows　along　all　these　sandy　shores；　when　I　was　startled　by　what　appeared　to　be　the　flexuous　stem　of　a　creeping　plant　endowed　with　life　and　threading　its　way　amongst　the　leaves　and　branches。　This　animated　liana　turned　out　to　be　a　pale…green　snake；　the　Dryophis　fulgida。　Its　whole　body　is　of　the　same　green　hue；　and　it　is　thus　rendered　undistinguishable　amidst　the　foliage　of　the　Guajara　bushes；　where　it　prowls　in　search　of　its　prey　treefrogs　and　lizards。　The　forepart　of　its　head　is　prolonged　into　a　slender　pointed　beak；　and　the　total　length　of　the　reptile　was　six　feet。　There　was　another　kind　found　amongst　bushes　on　the　borders　of　the　forest　closely　allied　to　this；　but　much　more　slender；　viz。；　the　Dryophis　acuminata。　This　grows　to　a　length　of　four　feet　eight　inches；　the　tail　alone　being　twenty…two　inches；　but　the　diameter　of　the　thickest　part　of　the　body　is　little　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　inch。　It　is　of　light…brown　colour；　with　iridescent　shades　variegated　with　obscurer　markings；　and　looks　like　a　piece　of　whipcord。　One　individual　which　I　caught　of　this　species　had　a　protuberance　near　the　middle　of　the　body。　Upon　opening　it；　I　found　a　half…digested　lizard　which　was　much　more　bulky　than　the　snake　itself。

Another　kind　of　serpent　found　here；　a　species　of　Helicops；　was　amphibiousin　its　habits。　I　saw　several　of　this　in　wet　weather　on　the　beach；　which；　on　being　approached；　always　made　straightway　for　the　water；　where　they　swamwith　much　grace　and　dexterity。　Florinda　one　day　caught　a　Helicops　while　angling　for　fish；　it　having　swallowed　the　fishhook　with　the　bait。　She　and　others　told　me　these　water…snakes　lived　on　small　fishes；　but　I　did　not　meet　with　any　proof　of　the　statement。　In　the　woods；　snakes　were　constantly　occurring；　it　was　not　often；　however；　that　I　saw　poisonous　species。　There　were　many　arboreal　kinds　besides　the　two　just　mentioned；　and　it　was　rather　alarming；　in　entomologising　about　the　trunks　of　trees；　to　suddenly　encounter；　on　turning　round；　as　sometimes　happened；　a　pair　of　glittering　eyes　and　a　forked　tongue　within　a　few　inches　of　one's　head。　The　last　kind　I　shall　mention　is　the　Coral…snake；　which　is　a　most　beautiful　object　when　seen　coiled　up　on　black　soil　in　the　woods。　The　one　I　saw　here　was　banded　with　black　and　vermilion；　the　black　bands　having　each　two　clear　white　rings。　The　state　of　specimens　preserved　in　spirits　can　give　no　idea　of　the　brilliant　colours　which　adorn　the　Coral…snake　in　life。

Petzell　and　I；　as　already　mentioned；　made　many　excursions　of　long　extent　in　the　neighbouring　forest。　We　sometimes　went　to　Murucupi；　a　creek　which　passes　through　the　forest；　about　four　miles　behind　Caripi；　the　banks　of　which　are　inhabited　by　Indians　and　half…　breeds　who　have　lived　there　for　many　generations　in　perfect　seclusion　from　the　rest　of　the　world　the　place　being　little　known　or　frequented。　A　path　from　Caripi　leads　to　it　through　a　gloomy　tract　of　virgin　forest；　where　the　trees　are　so　closely　packed　together　that　the　ground　beneath　is　thrown　into　the　deepest　shade；　under　which　nothing　but　fetid　fungi　and　rotting　vegetable　debris　is　to　be　seen。　On　emerging　from　this　unfriendly　solitude　near　the　banks　of　the　Murucupi；　a　charming　contrast　is　presented。　A　glorious　vegetation；　piled　up　to　an　immense　height；　clothes　the　banks　of　the　creek；　which　traverses　a　broad　tract　of　semi…cultivated　ground；　and　the　varied　masses　of　greenery　are　lighted　up　with　the　sunny　glow。　Open　palm…thatched　huts　peep　forth　here　and　there　from　amidst　groves　of　banana；　mango；　cotton；　and　papaw　trees　and　palms。　On　our　first　excursion；　we　struck　the　banks　of　the　river　in　front　of　a　house　of　somewhat　more　substantial　architecture　than　the　rest；　having　finished　mud　walls　that　were　plastered　and　whitewashed；　and　had　a　covering　of　red　tiles。　It　seemed　to　be　full　of　children；　and　the　aspect　of　the　household　was　improved　by　a　number　of　good…looking　mameluco　women；　who　were　busily　employed