pathways through the woods, which led to the Una road; about half
way was the house in which the celebrated travellers Spix and
Martius resided during their stay at Para, in 1819. It was now in
a neglected condition, and the plantations were overgrown with
bushes. The paths hereabout were very productive of insects, and
being entirely under shade, were very pleasant for strolling.
Close to our doors began the main forest road. It was broad
enough for two horsemen abreast, and branched off in three
directions; the main line going to the village of Ourem, a
distance of fifty miles. This road formerly extended to Maranham,
but it had been long in disuse and was now grown up, being
scarcely passable between Para and Ourem.

Our researches were made in various directions along these paths,
and every day produced us a number of new and interesting
species. Collecting, preparing our specimens, and making notes,
kept us well occupied. One day was so much like another, that a
general description of the diurnal round of incidents, including
the sequence of natural phenomena, will be sufficient to give an
idea of how days pass to naturalists under the equator.

We used to rise soon after dawn, when Isidoro would go down to
the city, after supplying us with a cup of coffee, to purchase
the fresh provisions for the day. The two hours before breakfast
were devoted to ornithology. At that early period of the day the
sky was invariably cloudless (the thermometer marking 72 or 73
Fahr.); the heavy dew or the previous night's rain, which lay on
the moist foliage, becoming quickly dissipated by the glowing
sun, which rising straight out of the east, mounted rapidly
towards the zenith. All nature was fresh, new leaf and flower-