212 THE COCAL. 



Manatis usually only come in at niglit, to put their heads 

 out of water and browse on the lowest mangrove leaves ; and 

 the Boas hide themselves so cunningly, either altogether 

 under water, or with only the head above, that we might 

 have ]~>assed half-a-dozen without seeing them. The only 

 chance, indeed, of coming across them, is when they are 

 travelling from lagoon to lagoon, or basking on the mud at 

 low tide. 



So all the game which we saw was a lovely white Egret,^ 

 its back covered with those stiff pinnated, plumes which 

 young ladies when they can obtain them are only too happy 

 to wear in their hats. He, after being civil enough to wait 

 on a bouQ-h till one of us c^ot a sitting shot at him, heard the 

 cap snap, thought it as well not to wait till a fresh one was 

 put on, and flapped away. He need not have troubled 

 himself. The Kegros but too apt to forget something or 

 other had forgotten to bring a spare supply; and the gun 

 was useless. 



As we descended, the left bank of the river was entirely 

 occupied with cocos ; and the contrast between them and the 

 mancjroves on the right was made all the more strikiiiG^ bv the 

 afternoon sun, which, as it sank behind the forest, left the 

 mangrove wall in black shadow, while it bathed the palm- 

 groves opposite with yellow light. In one of these palm- 



^ Ardea Garzetta, 



