32 



on many of the trees were bushes of a ])arasitic plmit 

 with pale scarlet pipeflowers and oval leaves. 



On an old tree hanging sideways were clumps of a kind 

 Bromelia with glorious scarlet centres {Bromelia hicolor 

 Ruiz & Par.). 



After having admired these and so many other things 

 I heard the usual mocking laugh of the Brown Robin, 

 Pteroptochus rubecula. This bird instead of disappearing after 

 having thus challenged the passer by as his kind usually does, 

 came forward and perched in a conspicuous place on some 

 tangle of dead wood to look at me. In this way I could 

 admire in close proximity his yelloivred breast and etje- 

 hroivs and big glifteriny dark eyes. I stopped to look at 

 it but it did not mind it in the least. 



As I went on a little hroivnhlack Wren (Scytalopiis 

 magellanicm)^ larger than our own bird but with not quite 

 such an upright tail, crossed the road and disappeared in 

 the jungle. 



After a while the wood became thinner and at a curve 

 of the road gave way to bamboo bushes with open spaces 

 between them. 



Turning to the right the ground rose and on an emi- 

 nence clad with grass stood the house and farmbuildings, 

 all low constructions of wood and sheet iron. 



I opened the gate in a wooden fence, entered it and 

 rode to a door that stood ajar. 



After a while somebody came forward and told me that 

 the owner would soon be there and asked me to alight. 



This I did, leaving the horse to take care of itself as is 

 usual in those parts. The owner having come now showed 

 me his farm in which I noticed the beautiful growth of 

 the fruittrees and he told me that he had reclaimed all 

 his land, it being a virgin forest all over when he took 

 possession of it. 



When he showed me his poultry-yard I asked him if 

 the Foxes did not play great havock, the virgin forest being 

 quite near. 



His answer was that he poisoned them and upon my 



Notes from the Leyden Miuseum, Vol. XXXV. 



