s make a strong decoction from it, into which they
dip a number of small fish, and spread them about in the neighbourhood
of lagoons frequented by cranes, herons, and other aquatic birds, hiding
themselves near at hand. Before the bird has fairly swallowed the fish
it drops dead, when the hunter, cutting off the head and neck, carries
off the body as his prize. It is said that when meat has been roasted
on spits made of this wood, it has absorbed sufficient poison to destroy
all who ate it.

THE LONG-BOW.

Some tribes, using a powerful long-bow, shoot birds in the air at a
great distance. The hunter, throwing himself on his back, with his
quiver by his side, places his feet against the bow, raised to the
required elevation, and thus, stretching out his legs, draws the arrow
to his head on the ground. By this means he is enabled to kill wild
fowl and other game at an enormous distance. An amusing writer on
Venezuela mentions an Indian who used to place a piece of money on the
top of a lemon, close to the point of the big toe on his left foot, and
then, leaning backwards, bend his bow with the help of his right one,
and shoot into the air at an angle of 85 degrees,--the arrow never
failing when it turned round to come down and strike the coin. Another
would shoot a bird soaring above his head, without looking at the
bird,--guided only by the shadow cast upon the ground about mid-day.

STALKING GAME.

In the same legion, the Indians form a sort of trumpet out of bamboo,
covering one end with a thick membrane. On blowing through the other, a
sound is produced resembling the bleating of a young fawn. Hiding
himself behind a tree, the hunter decoys the doe towards his place of
concealment, when he easily shoots her with his poisoned arrow.

The following is another device for approaching the deer in the open
plains. These animals seem to have a peculiar fondness for the tall
crane of the Llanos--a large white bird, with long, slender legs, and at
least five feet in height. It has a pouch of a bright scarlet, and a
bill nearly a foot long, and wide at the base, which enables it to
swallow a large fish at a mouthful. The hunter forms a mask to resemble
the head of the crane, and, clothing his own dark body in white, holding
his weapon low down, goes off in the direction of the deer, taking care
to approach it to leeward. He then imitates the movements of the crane.
When the deer stops to look at him, he bends d