224 Birds of British Giiiaua. 



foi^' lifted, and we L;'ot a fine view of the north-western sliores 

 of the Island. The mountains were snow-covered right to the 

 water's edge. A grand l)ut inhospitable looking coast. 

 (To he continued). 



<>- ■ 



The Birds of British Guiana. 



By Chas. Dawson, S.J., M.A., (Oxon). 



This article is reprinted from the " Journal of the Board of Agriculture of 

 Brit. Guiana," with our apologies and thanks to the Editor, Author and 

 Proprietors. — Editor " Bird Notes." 



ANT-THRUSHES. 



These birds were so named on the supi)osition that they 

 feed as thus signified. But they are not known to eat ants and 

 probably none of them do so. They may be seen pecking 

 among fallen leaves where ants abound, btit they are in search of 

 other insects. Few, if any, birds feed on ants, except, perhaps, 

 Woodpeckers. 



Ant-Thrushes are generally the size of Thrushes, hence 

 their second appellation. They are shy birds, hiding among 

 shrub and bushes, consequently their habits are little known. 

 Their colours also aid them in their obscurity, browns and reds 

 with bars, stripes, patches or spots of black and white being the 

 prevailing tones of the colonial species. The sexes are much 

 alike, but in those which are black or grey, the females are 

 correspondingly rufous. Their voice is loud and shrill, the same 

 note being repeated in a long metallic trill. The common Check- 

 bird may be taketi as typical. Not quite the size of 

 a Thrush, it has a sturdy body, a fairly long, stout, beak and 

 simple square tail. In colour, it is dull black with narrow, regu- 

 lar, stripes of white; the hen is similar but rufous. Many of 

 these birds build nests of fibre and swing like hammocks among 

 the branches. 



Gnat caters. — It will be convenient to group with the Ant- 

 Thrushes the two examples of " Conopophagidac " (gnat- 

 eating), the Conopophaga aiirita — " the eared gnat-eater "; as 

 also Corythopis antJwidcs, " the crested gnat-eater," both of 

 which may possibly be found in this colony. Their habits would 



