. Wanderings in South America, the north-west of the United States and the Antilles in the years 1812, 1816, 1820 & 1824 : with original instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, etc. for cabinets of natural history . tually bit the steering paddles as they were drawnthrough the water astern of the boats. A tapir which I shotswimming across the water had its nose eaten off by themAvhilst we were towing it to the shore. Of an evening the men used to catch some of them forsport, and in taking the hook from their mouths produce awound from which the blood ran freely. On throwing them EX
. Wanderings in South America, the north-west of the United States and the Antilles in the years 1812, 1816, 1820 & 1824 : with original instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, etc. for cabinets of natural history . tually bit the steering paddles as they were drawnthrough the water astern of the boats. A tapir which I shotswimming across the water had its nose eaten off by themAvhilst we were towing it to the shore. Of an evening the men used to catch some of them forsport, and in taking the hook from their mouths produce awound from which the blood ran freely. On throwing them EXPLANATORY INDEX. 455 back into the water in this injured condition, they were im-mediately set upon and devoured by their companions. Evenas one was being hauled in on the line, its comrades, seeingthat it was in difficulties, attacked it at once. One day, whenthe boat was hauled in to some rocks, a few of the men wereengaged shooting fish near by, and in so doing wounded alarge haimara. Having escaped from its human tormentors, it made fcrthe open river, but was instantly attacked by Perai attractedby the blood escaping from its wound, and was driven back tothe shelter of the rocks close to the boat, from which I had a. good view of the chase. The large fish followed by its savageenemies reminded me of a parallel case on land—a strickendeer pursued by wolves. The Perai, fortunately, lie only oli sand-beaches and inquiet pools, not frequenting the cataracts, where their presencewould be anything but acceptable to the men while workingin the water. I was fortunate enough to find the spawningplace of some Perai on the matted clusters of fibrous roots ofsome lianes, which hung from the bi-anches of a tree into thewater, amongst which much earthy sediment had collected,and many small aquatic plants had grown. The sedimentgave weight to the roots which kept the clusters under water,and the force of the current made them buoyant, giving thelianes a slope when the river was high, wh
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