the naturalist on the river amazons-第34部分

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Coaitas　are　more　frequently　kept　in　a　tame　state　than　any　other　kind　of　monkey。　The　Indians　are　very　fond　of　them　as　pets；　and　the　women　often　suckle　them　when　young　at　their　breasts。　They　become　attached　to　their　masters；　and　will　sometimes　follow　them　on　the　ground　to　considerable　distances。　I　once　saw　a　most　ridiculously　tame　Coaita。　It　was　an　old　female　which　accompanied　its　owner；　a　trader　on　the　river；　in　all　his　voyages。　By　way　of　giving　me　a　specimen　of　its　intelligence　and　feeling；　its　master　set　to　and　rated　it　soundly；　calling　it　scamp；　heathen；　thief；　and　so　forth；　all　through　the　copious　Portuguese　vocabulary　of　vituperation。　The　poor　monkey；　quietly　seated　on　the　ground；　seemed　to　be　in　sore　trouble　at　this　display　of　anger。　It　began　by　looking　earnestly　at　him；　then　it　whined；　and　lastly　rocked　its　body　to　and　fro　with　emotion；　crying　piteously；　and　passing　its　long　gaunt　arms　continually　over　its　forehead；　for　this　was　its　habit　when　excited；　and　the　front　of　the　head　was　worn　quite　bald　in　consequence。　At　length　its　master　altered　his　tone。　〃It's　all　a　lie；　my　old　woman；　you're　an　angel；　a　flower；　a　good　affectionate　old　creature；〃　and　so　forth。　Immediately　the　poor　monkey　ceased　its　wailing；　and　soon　after　came　over　to　where　the　man　sat。　The　disposition　of　the　Coaita　is　mild　in　the　extreme　it　has　none　of　the　painful；　restless　vivacity　of　its　kindred；　the　Cebi；　and　no　trace　of　the　surly；　untameable　temper　of　its　still　nearer　relatives；　the　Mycetes；　or　howling　monkeys。　It　is；　however；　an　arrant　thief；　and　shows　considerable　cunning　in　pilfering　small　articles　of　clothing；　which　it　conceals　in　its　sleeping　place。　The　natives　of　the　Upper　Amazons　procure　the　Coaita；　when　full　grown；　by　shooting　it　with　the　blowpipe　and　poisoned　darts；　and　restoring　life　by　putting　a　little　salt　（the　antidote　to　the　Urari　poison　with　which　the　darts　are　tipped）　in　its　mouth。　The　animals　thus　caught　become　tame　forthwith。　Two　females　were　once　kept　at　the　Jardin　des　Plantes　of　Paris；　and　Geoffroy　St。　Hilaire　relates　of　them　that　they　rarely　quitted　each　other；　remaining　most　of　the　time　in　close　embrace；　folding　their　tails　around　one　another's　bodies。　They　took　their　meals　together；　and　it　was　remarked　on　such　occasions；　when　the　friendship　of　animals　is　put　to　a　hard　test；　that　they　never　quarrelled　or　disputed　the　possession　of　a　favourite　fruit　with　each　other。

The　neighbourhood　of　Obydos　was　rich　also　in　insects。　In　the　broad　alleys　of　the　forest　a　magnificent　butterfly　of　the　genus　Morpho；　six　to　eight　inches　in　expanse；　the　Morpho　Hecuba；　was　seen　daily　gliding　along　at　a　height　of　twenty　feet　or　more　from　the　ground。　Amongst　the　lower　trees　and　bushes　numerouskinds　of　Heliconii；　a　group　of　butterflies　peculiar　to　tropical　America；　having　long　narrow　wings；　were　very　abundant。　The　prevailing　ground　colour　of　the　wings　of　these　insects　is　a　deep　black；　and　on　this　are　depicted　spots　and　streaks　of　crimson；　white；　and　bright　yellow；　in　different　patterns　according　to　the　species。　Their　elegant　shape；　showy　colours；　and　slow；　sailing　mode　of　flight；　make　them　very　attractive　objects；　and　their　numbers　are　so　great　that　they　form　quite　a　feature　in　the　physiognomy　of　the　forest；　compensating　for　the　scarcity　of　flowers。

Next　to　the　Heliconii；　the　Catagrammas　（C。　astarte　and　C。　peristera）　were　the　most　conspicuous。　These　have　a　very　rapid　and　short　flight；　settling　frequently　and　remaining　stationary　for　a　long　time　on　the　trunks　of　trees。　The　colours　of　their　wings　are　vermilion　and　black；　the　surface　having　a　rich　velvety　appearance。　The　genus　owes　its　Greek　name　Catagramma　（signifying　〃a　letter　beneath〃）　to　the　curious　markings　of　the　underside　of　the　wings；　resembling　Arabic　numerals。　The　species　and　varieties　are　of　almost　endless　diversity；　but　the　majority　inhabit　the　hot　valleys　of　the　eastern　parts　of　the　Andes。　Another　butterfly　nearly　allied　to　these；　Callithea　Leprieurii；　was　also　very　abundant　here　at　the　marshy　head　of　the　pool　before　mentioned。　The　wings　are　of　a　rich　dark…blue　colour；　with　a　broad　border　of　silvery　green。　These　two　groups　of　Callithea　and　Catagramma　are　found　only　in　tropical　America；　chiefly　near　the　equator；　and　are　certainly　amongst　the　most　beautiful　productions　of　a　region　where　the　animals　and　plants　seem　to　have　been　fashioned　in　nature's　choicest　moulds。

A　great　variety　of　other　beautiful　and　curious　insects　adorned　these　pleasant　woods。　Others　were　seen　only　in　the　sunshine　in　open　places。　As　the　waters　retreated　from　the　beach；　vast　numbers　of　sulphur…yellow　and　orange　coloured　butterflies　congregated　on　the　moist　sand。　The　greater　portion　of　them　belonged　to　the　genus　Callidryas。　They　assembled　in　densely…packed　masses；　sometimes　two　or　three　yards　in　circumference；　their　wings　all　held　in　an　upright　position；　so　that　the　beach　looked　as　though　variegated　with　beds　of　crocuses。　These　Callidryades　seem　to　be　migratory　insects；　and　have　large　powers　of　dissemination。　During　the　last　two　days　of　our　voyage；　the　great　numbers　constantly　passing　over　the　river　attracted　the　attention　of　every　one　on　board。　They　all　crossed　in　one　direction；　namely；　from　north　to　south；　and　the　processions　were　uninterrupted　from　an　early　hour　in　the　morning　until　sunset。　All　the　individuals　which　resort　to　the　margins　of　sandy　beaches　are　of　the　male　sex。　The　females　are　much　more　rare；　and　are　seen　only　on　the　borders　of　the　forest；　wandering　from　tree　to　tree；　and　depositing　their　eggs　on　low　mimosas　which　grow　in　the　shade。　The　migrating　hordes；　as　far　as　I　could　ascertain；　are　composed　only　of　males；　and　on　this　account　I　believe　their　wanderings　do　not　extend　very　far。

A　strange　kind　of　wood…cricket　is　found　in　this　neighbourhood；　the　males　of　which　produce　a　very　loud　and　not　unmusical　noise　by　rubbing　together　the　overlapping　edges　of　their　wing…cases。　The　notes　are　certainly　the　loudest　and　most　extraordinary　that　I　ever　heard　produced　by　an　orthopterous　insect。　The　natives　call　it　the　Tanana；　in　allusion　to　its　music；　which　is　a　sharp；　resonant　stridulation　resembling　the　syllables　ta…na…na；　ta…na…　na；　succeeding　each　other　with　little　intermission。　It　seems　to　be　rare　in　the　neighbourhood。　When　the　natives　capture　one；　they　keep　it　in　a　wicker…work　cage　for　the　sake　of　hearing　it　sing。　A　friend　of　mine　kept　one　six　days。　It　was　lively　only　for　two　or　three；　and　then　its　loud　note　could　be　heard　from　one　end　of　the　village　to　the　other。　When　it　died　he　gave　me　the　specimen；　the　only　one　I　was　able　to　procure。　It　is　a　member　of　the　family　Locustidae；　a　group　intermediate　between　the　Cricket　（Achetidae）　and　the　Grasshoppers　（Acridiidae）。　The　total　length　of　the　body　is　two　inches　and　a　quarter；　when　the　wings　are　closed　the　insect　has　an　inflated　vesicular　or　bladder…like　shape；　owing　to　the　great　convexity　of　the　thin　but　firm　parchmenty　wing…cases；　and　the　colour　is　wholly　pale…green。　The　instrument　by　which　the　Tanana　produces　its　music　is　curiously　contrived　out　of　the　ordinary　nervures　of　the　wing…cases。　In　each　wing…case　the　inner　edge；　near　its　origin；　has　a　horny　expansion　or　lobe；　on　one　wing　（b）　this　lobe　has　sharp　raised　margins；　on　the　other　（a）；　the　strong　nervure　which　traverses　the　lobe　on　the　under　side　is　crossed　by　a　number　of　fine　sharp　furrows　like　those　of　a　file。　When　the　insect　rapidly　moves　its　wings；　the　file　of　the　one　lobe　is　scraped　sharply　across　the　horny　margin　of　the　other；　thus　producing　the　sounds；　the　parchmenty　wing…cases　and　the　hollow　drum…like　space　which　they　enclose　assist　in　giving　resonance　to　the　tones。　The　projecting　portions　of　both　wing…cases　are　traversed　by　a　similar　strong　nervure；　but　this　is　scored　like　a　file　only　in　one　of　them；　in　the　other　remaining　perfectly　smooth。

Other　species　of　the　family　to　which　the　Tanana　belongs　have　similar　stridulating　organs；　but　in　none　are　these　so　highly　developed　as　in　this　insect；　they　exist　always　in　the　males　only；　the　other　sex　having　the　edges　of　the　wing…cases　quite　straight　and　simple。　The　mode　of　producing　the　sounds　and　their　object　have　been　investigated　by　several　authors　with　regard　to　certain　European　species。　They　are　the　call…notes　of　the　males。　In　the　common　field…cricket　of　Europe　the　male　has　been　observed　to　place　itself；　in　the　evening；　at　the　entrance　of　its　burrow；　and　stridulate　until　a　female　approaches；　when　the　louder　notes　are　succeeded　by　a　more　subdued　tone；　while　the　successful　musician　caresses　with　his　antennae　the　mate　he　has　won。　Anyone　who　will　take　the　trouble　may　observe　a　similar　proceeding　in　the　common　house…cricket。　The　nature　and　object　of　this　insect　music　are　more　uniform　than　the　structure　and　situation　of　the　instrument　by　which　it　is　produced。　This　differs　in　each　of　the　three　allied　families　above　mentioned。　In　the　crickets　the　wing…cases　are　symmetrical；　both　have　straight　edges　and　sharply…scored　nervures　adapted　to　produce　the　stridulation。　A　distinct　portion　of　their　edges　is　not；　therefore；　set　apart　for　the　elaboration　of　a　sound…producing　instrument。　In　this　family　the　wing…cases　lie　flat　on　the　back　of　the　insect；　and　overlap　each　other　for　a　considerable　portion　of　their　extent。　In　the　Locustidae　the　same　members　have　a　sloping　position　on　each　side　of　the　body；　and　do　not　overlap；　except　to　a　small　extent　near　their　bases；　it　is　out　of　this　small　portion　that　the　stridulating　organ　is　contrived。　Greater　resonance　is　given　in　most　species　by　a　thin　transparent　plate；　covered　by　a　membrane；　in　the　centre　of　the　overlapping　lobes。　In　the　Grasshoppers　（Acridiidae）　the　wing…cases　meet　in　a　straight　suture；　and　the　friction　of　portions　of　their　edges　is　no　longer　possible。　But　Nature　exhibits　the　same　fertility　of　resource　here　as　elsewhere；　and　in　contriving　other　methods　of　supplying　the　males　with　an　instrument　for　the　production　of　call…notes　indicates　the　great　importance　which　she　attaches　to　this　function。　The　music　in　the　males　of　the　Acridiidae　is　produced　by　the　scraping　of　the　long　hind　thighs　against　the　horny　nervures　of　the　outer　edges　of　the　wing…cases；　a　drum…　shaped　organ　placed　in　a　cavity　near　the　insertion　of　the　thighs　being　adapted　to　give　resonance　to　the　tones。

I　obtained　very　few　birds　at　Obydos。　There　was　no　scarcity　of　birds；　but　t