jungle by European
hunters, the average native has no compunction in eating of it, and is
the grateful recipient of boar or bear carcass for food purposes, as
he has not himself infringed upon the sacred injunction not to take
the life of any creature.

As we wend our way among the thick vegetation and shadowy trees, the
wood-pigeon's soothing, droning notes fall upon the ear like the
melody of a human mother lulling her infant babe to sleep. Now and
again the jungle-cock shouts his defiant reveille in a startling
fashion, breaking the almost solemn silence. The unpleasant squeak of
the flying-frog occasionally grates upon the senses, a creature so
called on account of its remarkable ability of springing from one tree
to another. It is of a rich, light green color, and very poisonous.
The author had never heard of this creature until it introduced itself
by means of the unpleasant croaking sound which it sends forth, very
similar to that produced by the action of a rusty door-hinge.

While noting these things, it was for the first time learned that the
peacock is a most destructive enemy of the snake tribe, to which
reptiles he has an inveterate antipathy,--why or wherefore, no one
knows. He pecks out the snake's eyes, in spite of his fangs. The
favorite food of this gorgeous bird is said to be the white ant, which
so abounds here; a happy provision, whereby the multiplying of this
insect pest is in a measure checked. One is prone to query what the
white ant was created for. Perhaps it was to eradicate some mightier
and unknown curse. _Quien sabe?_

The white ants are the most extraordinary creatures of the formican
tribe. Their dwellings are more than a thousand times higher than
themselves; were human beings to construct their edifices upon the
same relative scale, we should live in houses six thousand feet in
height. These ants are like small white slugs in appearance, and are
said to be delicious eating. Certain low castes in Ceylon use them as
articles of food. A veracious modern writer describes them as tasting
like sugared cream and white almonds. One could get accustomed to
these things, no doubt, but gnawing hunger would have to be the
accompanying sauce to tempt most Europeans to even taste this peculiar
dish of the tropics. Are not snails sold in Paris and London as a
table luxury? Much travel has cured the author of fastidiousness in
regard to food, but he draws the line at snails, ants, and
caterpillars