30 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



On several occasions we saw troops of marmosets 

 travelling with extraordinary speed from tree to 

 tree through the forest. From our tent a clearing 

 of several acres, with here and there a small clump 

 of mango trees, in which were numerous species 

 of birds, extended to the lake. 



About the camp itself there were always numbers 

 of vultures of two species.* They showed not the 

 least fear of us, and would descend almost at our 

 feet to pick up scraps thrown out to them. The 

 Brazilians protect these birds, and the penalty 

 for killing one is a heavy fine. Another very com- 

 mon bird of prey is the caracara, a pair of which 

 are to be seen in every patch of forest. We came 

 across a pair of the pale grey variety of this 

 species, and a very beautiful sight it was to see 

 these birds circling round over the tree-tops. In 

 appearance they reminded one somewhat of a 

 buzzard when seen from a distance, but the tail is 

 longer. A large hawkf was also often to be seen 

 sitting on the dead palm trees, and three were shot 

 for the collection, while on several occasions a 

 large eagle was noticed sailing overhead, but never 

 within gunshot. At night the cries of two kinds 

 of owls were noticeable, and these proved to be a 

 smaU scops-eared owlj and a large wood-owl ; the 

 latter, though seen, was not obtained. Numbers 

 of night- jars of two species inhabited the forest 



* Cathartes aura and C. atratus. f Asturina nattereri. 

 J Scops braziliensis. 



