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rivers which are always to be met with during the whole day. The 
first is 
The Lavcnine Hawk. 
A well-known bird, which has been described by Waterton, Schom- 
burgk and others. It is remarkably noisy, and is generally seen in 
company with three or four others of the same species flying about 
and perching on the high trees on the borders of creeks, uttering 
almost constantly a discordant loud gabbling, from whence it has got 
the name of the ‘‘ Laughing Hawk.” ‘This bird feeds on eggs, young 
birds, insects, and does not despise certain sorts of fruit. It is, in 
fact, omnivorous, 
The YELLOW-HEADED CARRACARRA Hawk. 
Smaller than the preceding. Three or four are generally seen to- 
gether. They frequent chiefly in the months of September, October, 
and November, when the guana and river turtle lay their eggs, the 
extensive sand-banks on the river Essequibo, beyond the first rapids 
in latitude 6° 10’. I have seen them in companies of from three to 
five, assiduously scratching up the sand in which the guana or turtle 
had laid ; and as these reptiles deposit their eggs at least eight inches 
beneath the surface, their rasorial powers are very considerable. The 
sands on this part of the Essequibo extend in every direction, lying 
on the beautiful bosom of the placid river, among finely wooded islands 
of all sizes, with most inviting sand beaches, enticing you to land at 
every turn. If you do land, you will probably see on the hard fine 
sand the scrambling track of a guana, which, if petrified, would set 
a paleontologist frantic with delight. Close by, the steadier aud 
more decided footstep of the cayman, clearly showing that he is made 
of somewhat sterner stuff than his herbivorous friend, and still further 
off, a camoude has dragged his slow length along. There are tracks 
of turtle, ducks, snipes, lizards, and all sorts of Coprie ; in fact, a 
first-rate piece of interesting geology, only not baked or compressed 
yet. Edging the bank is the eternal forest. 
The Rep-HEADED CARRACARRA. 
This bird is of the same size as the preceding, but its habits are 
somewhat different, as its food appears to be principally confined to 
insects and small reptiles. I found the stomach of one I dissected 
full of fragments of beetles. Mr. Swainson places these birds at the 
head of the Kites, where they are certainly more naturally situated 
than among the Eagles, where they are placed by Cuvier. ; 
The next birds are the Awl-beaked Fish-Hawks. I only know 
two, and they are very near one another. 
The LarGer AWL-BEAKED FisH-Hawk 
Is remarkable for the great length of the curve of the upper man- 
dible, and is somewhat larger than the next. Both are savannah 
birds, feeding on freshwater fish. They are often seen in large flocks, 
particularly on an extensive savannah, through a part of which is dug 
