A SEARCH FOR SCYTALOPUS 



163 



soggy mould. Its glimpses of daylight 

 must be brief indeed, and at infrequent 

 intervals. 



We had come to the mountains in a 

 state of enthusiasm and expectancy, 

 for here it seemed we should succeed in 

 ending our long quest. As the days 

 passed, thrilling excitement gave way 

 to exasperation; and finally, disap- 



appointment. Birds were more abun- 

 dant than at Villa Nougues, but the 

 tapacolo was not forthcoming. As a 

 last resort it was therefore decided to 

 visit the top of the range, which at this 

 point attains an altitude of over ten 

 thousand feet. This necessitated the 

 securing of a pack train of mules, but 

 the matter was arranged, and one 



Llamas, htdeii with potatoi's and otliL-r prodiicf. and driven alwaj's by Quichua Indians, frequently 

 come down from the highlands into the streets of Sucre. The limit of the llama's load is about one hun- 

 dred pounds. If it be given a heavier burden, it will lie down and stubbornly refuse to move 



pointment alone remained to fill the 

 void created by the flight of the other 

 emotions. 



We returned to Tucuman to pack the 

 collections which had been made, and 

 then struck for the forest farther 

 south. This time we left the railroad 

 at a station called Aguilares, two and 

 one half hours from Tucuman, and 

 camped in the forest at the foot of the 

 ridge. Again we were doomed to dis- 



morning at one o'clock we mounted 

 and started up the slope. A full moon 

 showered a flood of light upon the 

 earth, but the overhanging branches 

 formed a thick canopy over the trail, 

 impermeable to the silvery radiance 

 save when an occasional breeze stirred 

 the leafy arch, thus permitting fitful 

 shafts of light to pierce the darkness of 

 the tunnel, and to fall in quavering, 

 dancing blotches on the ground. We 



