ked at each other.

"Whatever it was, it is too cunning for us, Nat," said my uncle, "so we
may as well give it up, for we could go on like this till dark."

"Yes," I said, with a sigh, "and it's hot and tiring work."

"Never mind; let's go back now," he said. "We don't even know what it
was the lad saw."

We began to retrace our steps, keeping a sharp look-out, but seeing
nothing but some active lizards sunning themselves among the rocks, and
a rattlesnake, which we carefully left at rest; but before we were
half-way back to where we had left our companions we came upon them with
the spare guns.

"Haven't you shot it, sir?" asked Pete, staring hard at my uncle.

"No, we have not even seen it, whatever it is," said my uncle, smiling.

"Wonderful handsome bird, sir, with long blue and green and red and
yellow feathers in its tail."

"Macaw--Ara," said my uncle; "flying across from tree to tree?"

"Yes, sir, I daresay it was," said Pete; "but it wasn't flying; it was
on the ground, and when we saw it, in it went among the bushes quite
slowly, didn't it, Bill?"

"You said it did, my lad," replied Cross. "I didn't see it."

"Long green, blue, red, and yellow feathers in its tail?" said my uncle.

"Yes, sir; that's it," looking up.

"And on the ground?"

"Yes, sir."

"Running?"

"Oh, no, sir, it was just creeping quietly along when I beckoned you."

"I don't know any bird answering your description but a macaw," said my
uncle. "How big was it?"

"As big as a barn-door cock, sir, I think."

"Look here, Pete; you've seen macaws, or aras, as they call them. Mr
Nat here shot one days ago."

"Them big poll parrots, sir? Oh no, it warn't one of them, sir. I know
that sort well enough."

"I hope we shall come upon it another day then," said my uncle.

We had a short rest, and then turned in the direction of the river-gorge
again, its presence simplifying our position, for we had only to steer
south at any time to come upon the steep, well-wooded ravine, along
whose sides we had constant peeps of the clear flowing water, finding
several places where we could descend, while here the variety of birds,
insects, and reptiles was wonderful, and had we wanted them we could
soon have killed more than we should have been able to preserve.

But with most of them my uncle was familiar, and unless the specimen
seen was something rare, he let it go in peace.

"Fortune may favour us, Nat," he said, "and we may