322 THE ODYSSEY OF AN ANIMAL COLLECTOR 
My collecting station on the edge of Georgetown was not a 
place for interesting experiences such as are always cropping up 
in the jungle, but it enabled me to fulfil the function for which I 
was sent out. Animals of all sorts came in from far and wide and 
I soon found myself with a collection so large that catering for 
their daily requirements was a full-time job. Many of them were 
youngsters and had to be fed on the bottle. Among these was a 
delightful pair of tapirs which were caught when only three 
months old. 
Besides those already mentioned, the mammals included the 
following species: Hairy Tree Porcupine, Brazilian Tree Porcu- 
pine, agouti, paca, capybara, Collared Peccary, White-lipped 
Peccary, ocelot, Margay Cat, Two-toed Sloth, Three-toed Sloth, 
Squirrel Monkey, Weeper Capuchin, Brown Capuchin, Hum- 
boldt’s Saki Monkey, Virginian Opossum and Guiana White- 
tailed Deer. The latter, called Bambi, was a great pet and was 
allowed to wander at will when it was certain that stray dogs 
could not worry her. 
The bird collection was growing well, considering the limita- 
tions of operating from a town base. The prize was a magnificent 
Harpy Eagle which I acquired from a colored resident. He called 
on me one day and asked if I was interested in a large hawk 
which he had at home. On visiting his house I found that the 
so-called hawk was none other than a Harpy Eagle in fine condi- 
tion. It was chained by the leg in rather sordid surroundings, so I 
came to terms with him and agreed to take it away there and then. 
It was left to me to detach the ferocious-looking creature from 
its chain, the prospects of which did not look too rosy in view of 
its powerful legs and diabolical claws, which it employs for 
snatching monkeys from the tree-tops. A quick unsuspected side- 
ways grab with one hand was necessary on my part to grasp both 
its legs at once if I wished to avoid being transfixed. This was 
accomplished while a curious throng of colored folk looked on. 
To my surprise this great bird was remarkably docile considering 
it had been caught only a few days before, and I was able, by 
holding its legs and tucking it under my arm, to ride off with it 
on my bicycle. 
Time has a curious way of distorting, or exaggerating, simple 
