ring the day, it broke; but
they still went on at the rate of a drop every 5 seconds, while another
colony on a branch of the same tree gave a drop every 17 seconds only,
or at the rate of about 10 ounces 4-4/5 drams in 24 hours. I finally
cut off the branch; but this was too much for their patience, for they
immediately decamped, as insects will do from either a dead branch or
a dead animal, which Indian hunters soon know, when they sit down on
a recently-killed bear. The presence of greater moisture in the air
increased the power of these distillers: the period of greatest activity
was in the morning, when the air and every thing else was charged with
dew.

Having but one day left for experiment, I found again that another
colony on a branch denuded in the same way yielded a drop every 2
seconds, or 4 pints 10 ounces in 24 hours, while a colony on a branch
untouched yielded a drop every 11 seconds, or 16 ounces 2-19/20 drams
in 24 hours. I regretted somewhat the want of time to institute another
experiment, namely, to cut a branch and place it in water, so as to keep
it in life, and then observe if there was any diminution of the quantity
of water in the vessel. This alone was wanting to make it certain that
they draw water from the atmosphere. I imagine that they have some power
of which we are not aware, besides that nervous influence which causes
constant motion to our own involuntary muscles, the power of life-long
action without fatigue. The reader will remember, in connection with
this insect, the case of the ants already mentioned.

DECEMBER 14TH. Both myself and men having recovered from severe attacks
of fever, we left the hospitable residence of Mr. Canto with a deep
sense of his kindness to us all, and proceeded on our way to Ambaca.
(Lat. 9d 16' 35" S., long. 15d 23' E.)

Frequent rains had fallen in October and November, which were nearly
always accompanied with thunder. Occasionally the quantity of moisture
in the atmosphere is greatly increased without any visible cause:
this imparts a sensation of considerable cold, though the thermometer
exhibits no fall of the mercury. The greater humidity in the air,
affording a better conducting medium for the radiation of heat from the
body, is as dangerous as a sudden fall of the thermometer: it causes
considerable disease among the natives, and this season is denominated
"Carneirado", as if by the disease they were slaughtered like sheep. The
season of these