Mr. 0. Salvin's Quesal-shooting in Vera Paz. 147 



My bag to-day consists of a Swift {Chahira vauxi). two speci- 

 mens of a beautiful Tanager [Pyranga eryf/iTomelcEna), and a 

 large addition to my collection of ferns. Cipriano and Filipe 

 bring in seven Quesals between them, and one of the guides a 

 single specimen of Vireolanius pulchellus. 



March 18. — As my time is limited, I have decided to remain in 

 this spot, which seems likely to be productive, as long as I can, 

 and then return straight to Coban. All to-day Cipriano and 

 Filipe have been out ; I have been chiefly occupied in skinning 

 the specimens which resulted from yesterday's excursion. I 

 have taken no small amount of pains to secure good examples 

 for my own collection, as I wish my Trogon-drawer to look as 

 well as possible. To-day Cipriano and I have had a long chase 

 after some Parrots, one of which we have at last secured*. It 

 cost us many a fruitless shot, as the trees in which we find 

 them are of great height, and a bird at the top of one of them 

 is almost out of gun-shot. We had just secured this bird 

 when a distant noise warned us of approaching heavy rain, and 

 we had just time to reach our camp when a thunderstorm came 

 on — a I'eal tropical storm. It is astonishing to notice the noise 

 rain makes in the forest when striking the leaves of the trees. 

 An approaching storm may be heard many minutes before the 

 rain comes up, 



March 19. — All last night rain fell in torrents, accompanied 

 by thunder and lightning. Rills of water we had stepped across 

 yesterday are now small rivers, and the whole night long we 

 could hear the crash of falling trees. My companions were 

 seriously alarmed lest we should be swept away, I did not 

 share their anxiety, as the limits to which watercourses rise are 

 easily traced, and I knew that we were safe. The downfall of 

 our rancho was a danger much more imminent. To-day we 

 have a long journey before us, and I order an early break-up of 

 the camp. On the road we shoot several Quesals, and I add 

 matei'ially to my collection of ferns. The day is far advanced 

 when I find that our guide has missed his way, and knows no 



* This bird proved to be an undescribed species. It now stands as 

 Pionus hcematotis, Scl. et Salv., and a drawing of it will be found in the 

 second volume of this Journal, plate lo. 



