BIRDS OF THE FOREST 31 



and clearings near our tent. The cries of these 

 birds, quite unlike the loud reeling note made by 

 the well-known species which we see in England, 

 were loud liquid calls, which were only uttered, 

 so far as I could ascertain, when the bird was on 

 the ground. 



During the day a scarlet tanager was continually 

 seen in the trees and bushes near our tent, and 

 another bird, most noticeable by reason of its 

 numbers, was a small swallow.* This little brown- 

 backed bird invariably appeared in great numbers 

 directly after a shower of rain. 



A shower of rain had a remarkable effect on 

 the life in the clearing, for immediately afterwards 

 there appeared immense swarms of flying ants. 

 As soon as these ants arrived, they were followed 

 by a great number of birds of all kinds — 

 flycatchers {Elainea), tanagers, oven-birds, and 

 woodpeckers appeared, while the little brown- 

 backed swallow came in great numbers. The ants 

 were at a disadvantage, and were not safe even 

 when they had reached the ground, for here the 

 woodpeckers followed them and swept them up 

 with their long tongues. 



I imagine that all these birds came from the 

 neighbouring forests, as previous to the showers 

 of rain not a bird was to be seen in the clearing. 

 Another instance of birds appearing at certain 

 places only when there are insects, was to be 



* Stelgidopteryx. 



