selves up; their
pale blue color somewhat diminishing the repugnance which their
appearance generally excites. It was not without some hesitation that
Lucien, encouraged by Sumichrast, ventured to place one on the palm of
his hand; the insect gradually unrolled its articulations, each of which
was provided with two pairs of feet ending in hooks, but its walk was so
slow as rather to disappoint the young observer.

"What is the use of having forty-four feet," he cried, "if the centipede
can not get on faster than a _carabus_, which only has six?"

L'Encuerado could alone explain this mystery; but still he kept silence.

"Are these creatures poisonous, M. Sumichrast?"

"It is said so; but some species--that, for instance, which you are
examining--may be handled without danger."

"Here is a little centipede with only twelve legs."

"It has only just come out of the egg; their rings increase in number as
they grow older, and this is one of their peculiarities."

"How hard the rings, are! they are almost like armor."

"It is armor, in fact; the _scolopendrae_ form a line of demarkation, so
to speak, separating insects from crustaceans; centipedes are not very
distant relations of lobsters."

"Look, papa! I have just found a chocolate-colored worm, which looks
like a centipede."

"That's not a worm; it is an _iulus_, first cousin to the centipede.
Don't take it up in your hand, for it will impregnate your fingers with
a sickening odor."

We resumed our progress towards our encampment, Lucien and l'Encuerado
preceding us. The weather was warm without being suffocating; the
slanting rays of the sun were moderated by the foliage, the birds were
singing, and to-day, like yesterday, seemed as if it would be one of
the least fatiguing in our journey. We were now in the midst of the
_Terre-Temperee_, and were surrounded by white and black oaks. Ceibas,
elm, cedars, and _lignum-vitae_ trees only grew here and there; and the
mosquitoes, so plentiful in the _Terre-Chaude_, did not trouble us here.
The timber, growing widely apart, allowed us to pass easily; we were in
a virgin-forest, but were still too high up above the plains to have to
struggle against the inextricable net-work of tropical creepers.

The _tuza_ made its appearance at our dinner, dressed with rice.
Although the appearance of this animal is repulsive, its flesh has an
exquisite flavor. I offered a piece of the thigh to Lucien; he found it
so nice, that h