BIRD LIFE OF BARTICA 111 



species of small birds of which 1 have written elsewhere was, 

 as usual, very marked, and this free-masonry and mutual 

 warning of danger made a fraternity of all the lesser birds 

 of the forest. Tropical birds react to squeaking as quickly 

 as those of any temperate region, and when one member of 

 a flock, such as a toucan or antbird, fell, its companions 

 often followed and fairly mobbed one. In the jungles of 

 the East the babblers made stalking most difficult by an- 

 nouncing to all within earshot the presence of an intruder. 

 Here the caracaras were the self-appointed watchmen, with 

 macaws ably seconding their efforts. But the caracaras had 

 tlie impudence and fearless naivete possessed by vultures 

 without the dumbness of those birds. Fortunately they were 

 not abundant, but when one was watching or creeping to- 

 ward some interesting nesting or feeding bird, the air was 

 sometimes rent with the fearfid shrieks and screams of a 

 family of caracaras. Then some inquisitive antbird was sure 

 to investigate and the object of one's search was very likely 

 to move suddenly elsewhere. 



Of two score species of mammals whicli inhabited oiu' 

 small area of observation, about half included birds, their 

 young and eggs in tlieir diet. Ten groups of birds were 

 themselves ornithophagous, lizards and iguanas took nest- 

 lings and eggs on every possible occasion; monster toads 

 doubtless longed for the opportunity which Nature denied 

 them of climbing nestwards, while perai snapped at drinking 

 swallows and fishing kiskadees and dragged wounded birds 

 under water, the instant they touched the surface. Crabs, 

 tarantulas, ants and giant water-bugs all claimed a certain 

 share. I have known ants to kill nestlings within the space 

 of an hour's absence on the part of the jDarents. Even the 

 bete rouge took toll, collecting by the thousand on the necks 

 of birds such as tinamou, where they produced bad sores, 

 and besides made the lives of many nestlings miserable. The 

 elements caused a far greater percentage of deaths than did 

 wind and heat and rain in temperate regions. Besides this, 



