306 Mr. J. F. Hamilton on Brazilian Birds. 



of birds of almost every description that at certain periods of the 

 year traverse the forests^ passing over the same ground day after 

 day at almost precisely the same hour. 



27. Ampelio cucullata (Sw.), 



The hollow and rather mournful note of this bird is frequently 

 the only sound that one hears in passing through the depth of 

 the forest, especially at midday, when almost every creature is 

 silent. The bird itself, however, is not very easily noticed, as 

 it remains almost motionless on its perch. I have found them 

 both high up in trees and amongst thick tangled bushes ; they 

 are remarkably tame, allowing any one to approach within a few 

 feet without moving. 



28. Chasmorhynchus nudicollis (Vieill.). 



There is certainly very little resemblance in the note of this 

 bird to the sound of a church-bell ; it is far more like the ring- 

 ing sound produced by a blacksmith striking his forge; indeed 

 in some parts of the province of Sao Paulo it is called "ferreiro^'*. 

 1 did not find it common anywhere, and never saw two to- 

 gether. 



29. Pyroderus scutatus (Shaw). 



Common in the thick w^oods. I found them to be generally 

 solitary except when feeding, when they were sometimes met with 

 in company with the Bell-bird and Toucan in flocks of about half 

 a dozen. At these times they were generally at the tops of the 

 trees ; when by themselves, I generally found them about half- 

 way up. Often when walking through the woods I have been 

 startled by one of them flying out just in front of me, crossing 

 the path and remaining at a distance of about twenty feet in the 

 wood on the other side, where it would stop looking at me with 

 stupid curiosity. When feeding, I never heard it utter any cry ; 

 but at other times its note is very much like the sound produced 

 by a person breathing loudly. 



30. CeRYLE AMERICANA (Gm.). 



Found several times round shallow pools, especially when the 

 banks were well wooded. I saw them several times perched on 

 logs projecting a few feet out of the water. 



* [C/. Tuis 18oo, p. 93.— Ed.] 



