e in the _monkey countries_ eat roast monkey as
well as the Indians. Many of them, in fact, grow very fond of it. They
usually dress it, however, in a different manner. They take off the
head and hands before bringing it to the table; so that the "child-like"
appearance is less perceptible.

Some species of monkeys are more delicate food than others, and there
are some kinds that _white_ monkey-eaters will not touch.

As for the Indians, it seems with them to be "all fish," etcetera; and
they devour all kinds indifferently, whether they be "howlers," or
"ateles," or "capuchins," or "ouistitis," or "sajous," or "sakis," or
whatever sort. In fact, among many Indian tribes, monkey stands in the
same place that mutton does in England; and they consider it their
staple article of flesh-meat. Indeed, in these parts, no other animal
is so common as the monkey; and, with the exception of birds and fish,
they have little chance of getting any other species of animal food.
The best "Southdown" would, perhaps, be as distasteful to them as monkey
meat would be to you; so here again we are met by that same eternal
proverb,--"_Chacun a son gout_."

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST.

Guapo sat by the fire patiently awaiting the "doing" of the marimonda.
The rest had eaten their supper, and were seated some distance apart.
They were looking out upon the broad river, and watching the movements
of the various birds. They could see tall scarlet flamingoes on the
farther shore, and smaller birds of the ibis kind. They could see the
"tiger crane," so called from its colour and spots resembling the
markings of the jaguar. Among some tall canes on the banks the
"ciganos," or gipsy birds, fluttered about with their great crest,
looking like so many pheasants, but far inferior to these creatures in
their flesh. In fact, the flesh of the "cigano" is so bitter and
disagreeable that even _Indians will not eat it_. Sitting upon a naked
branch that projected over the water they noticed the solitary sky-blue
king-fisher (_Alcedon_). Over the water swept the great harpy eagle--
also a fisher like his whiteheaded cousin of the North; and now and then
flocks of muscovy ducks made the air resound with their strong broad
wings.

They saw also the "boat-bill," or "crab-eater" (_Cancroma_), a curious
wading bird of the heron kind, with a large bill shaped like two boats
laid with their concave sides against each other. This,