hem to
overcome the difficulty. They approximate the hind and fore feet in
the manner of the Chamois goat, when he is about to make a spring, and
lowering the hinder part of the body in a position, half sitting half
standing, they slide down the smooth declivity. At first this sliding
movement creates a very unpleasant feeling of apprehension, which is
not altogether removed by frequent repetitions. Accidents frequently
occur, in which both mule and rider are mortally injured.

There is more variety of animals in these regions than in the
mountainous parts; but they have few peculiarities of character. The
swift-footed roe of the Cordillera roams here and dwells in the
thickets, avoiding the warm forest. The dark brown coati (_Nasua
montana_, Tsch.) howls, and digs at the roots of trees in search of
food; the shy opossum crawls fearfully under the foliage; the lazy
armadillo creeps into his hole; but the ounce and the lion seldom
stray hither to contest with the black bear (_Ursus frugilegus_,
Tsch.) the possession of his territory. The little hairy tapir
(_Tapirus villosus_, Wagn.) ventures only at twilight out of his close
ambush to forage in the long grass.

Of the birds there is not much variety of species; but all are
remarkable for gay-colored plumage. Among the most characteristic of
these districts are the red-bellied tanagra (_Tanagra igniventris_,
Orb.), the fire-colored pyranga (_Phoenisoma bivittata_, Tsch.), two
species of the crow, one of which is of a fine blue color (_Cyanocorax
viridicyanus_, G. R. Gray), the other green on the back and bright
yellow on the belly (_Cyanoc. peruanus_, Cab.). The Indians call the
latter _Quienquien_, as it utters a sort of screaming sound resembling
these syllables. Individual birds belonging to the Penelope family (_P.
rufiventris_ and _adspersa_, Tsch.) and the green pepper-eater
(_Pteroglossus caeruleo-cinctus_, Tsch., _Pt. atrogularis_, Sturm.) are
found in the lower forests.

Proceeding still further downward we at length reach the _Montana_. The
Peruvians apply this name to the vast aboriginal forests which extend
across the whole country from north to south along the eastern foot of
the Andes. Those which lie higher, and in which the spaces between the
lofty trees are overgrown with thick masses of bushes and twining
plants, are called by the natives simply _Montanas_. Those which are
free from these intermediate masses of vegetation they call _Montanas
reales_