and many others
yet unknown or unregarded. The principal articles obtained by the
traders are sarsaparilla, Peruvian bark, annatto, and other dyes,
vanilla, Brazil nuts, Tonka beans, hammocks, palm fibre, and several
other kinds of spontaneous vegetable productions. Monkeys, toucans,
macaws, parrots, and other beautiful birds, also enter into the list of
Amazonian exports; while the imports consist of such manufactured
articles as may tempt the cupidity of the savage, or the weapons
necessary to him either in war or for the chase.

In this trade their travelling companion had spent thirty years of his
life; and being a man of intelligence he had not only acquired a
consider able fortune, but laid in a stock of geographical knowledge, of
which the young Russians were not slow to take advantage. In the
natural history of the _montana_ he was well versed; and knew the
different animals and their habits from actual observation--for which
thirty years of adventure had given him a splendid opportunity. It was
a rich store, and our travellers, especially the naturalist Alexis, did
not fail to draw largely from it.

From the information given by this intelligent trader, Alexis was
enabled to determine several facts about the bears of South America,
that had hitherto been doubtful. He learnt that there are at least two
very distinct varieties of them--one, the "spectacled bear" (_ursus
ornatus_)--so called, on account of the whitish rings around his eyes,
suggesting the idea of spectacles; and another without these white eye
markings, and which has been lately named by a distinguished German
naturalist _ursus frugilegus_.

The former kind is known throughout the Peruvian countries as the
"Hucumari," and although it inhabits the Cordilleras, it does not ascend
to the very cold elevations known as the "paramos" and "puna." On the
contrary, it affects a warmer climate, and is not unfrequently found
straying into the cultivated valleys termed generally the "Sierra." The
_ursus frugilegus_ chiefly frequents the tangled woods that cover the
eastern spurs of the Andes, ranging often as far down as the montana,
and never so high as the declivities that border on the region of snow.

Both of these species are black bears, and termed "oso negro" by the
Spanish-Americans; but the Hucumari is distinguished by a white list
under the throat, a white breast, a muzzle of a greyish buff colour, and
the crescent-like eye markings alrea