branches.  ’The snake, seeing them approach almost within range of his hideous maw, gathered himself into a coil, and prepared to strike.  His eyes scintillated like sparks of fire, and seemed to fascinate the birds; for instead of retiring, they each moment drew nearer and nearer, now alighting on the ground, then flapping back to the branches, and anon darting to the ground again—­as though they were under some spell from those fiery eyes, and were unable to take themselves away.  Their motions appeared to grow less energetic, their chirping became almost inaudible, and their wings seemed hardly to expand as they flew, or rather fluttered, around the head of the serpent.  One of them at length dropped down upon the ground within reach of the snake, and stood with open bill, as if exhausted, and unable to move farther.  We were expecting to see the snake suddenly launch forth upon his feathered victim; when all at once his coils flew out, his body was thrown at full length, and he commenced retreating from the tree!’ The object that caused this diversion was soon visible.  ’It was an animal about the size of a wolf, and of a dark-gray or blackish colour.  Its body was compact, round-shaped, and covered, not with hair, but with shaggy bristles, that along the ridge of its back were nearly six inches in length, and gave it the appearance of having a mane.  It had very short ears, no tail whatever, or only a knob; and we could see that its feet were hoofed, not clawed as in beasts of prey.  But whether beast of prey or not, its long mouth, with two white tusks protruding over the jaws, gave it a very formidable appearance.  Its head and nose resembled those of the hog more than any other animal; and in fact it was nothing else than the peccary—­the wild hog of Mexico.’

The moccason did not wait to parley with his enemy, but skulked away through the long grass, every now and then raising his head to glare behind him.  But the peccary tracked him by the smell, and on coming up to him, uttered a shrill grunt.  ’The snake, finding that he was overtaken, threw himself into a coil, and prepared to give battle; while his antagonist, now looking more like a great porcupine than a pig, drew back, as if to take the advantage of a run; and then halted.  Both for a moment eyed each other—­the peccary evidently calculating its distance—­while the great snake seemed cowed and quivering with affright.  Its appearance was entirely different from the bright semblance it had exhibited but a moment before when engaged with the birds.  Its eyes were less fiery, and its whole body seemed more ashy and wrinkled.  We had not many moments to observe it, for the peccary was now seen to rush forward, spring high into the air, and pounce down with all her feet held together upon the coils of the serpent!  She immediately bounded back again; and, quick as thought, once more rose above her victim.  The snake was now uncoiled, and writhing over the ground.  Another rush from