8 PARA. Cuap. L 
It is often seen, hopping and climbing about the walls and roofs of 
houses and on trees in their vicinity. Its song is more frequently 
heard in the rainy season, when the Monguba trees shed their leaves. 
At those times the Estrada das Mongubeiras has an appearance quite 
unusual in a tropical country. The tree is one of the few in the 
Amazons region which sheds all its foliage before any of the new leaf- 
buds expand. ‘The naked branches, the soddened ground matted with 
dead leaves, the grey mist veiling the surrounding vegetation, and the 
cool atmosphere soon after sunrise; all combine to remind one of 
autumnal mornings in England. Whilst loitering about at such times 
in a half-oblivious mood, thinking of home, the song of this bird would 
create for the moment a perfect illusion. Numbers of tanagers 
frequented the fruit and other trees in our garden. The two principal 
kinds which attracted our attention were the Rhamphoccelus jacapa and 
the Tanagra episcopus. The females of both are dull in colour. The 
male of Jacapa has a beautiful velvety purple and black plumage, the 
beak being partly white. ‘The same sex in Episcopus is of a pale blue 
colour, with white spots on the wings. In their habits they both 
resemble the common house-sparrow of Europe, which does not exist 
in South America, its place being in some measure filled by these 
familiar tanagers. They are just as lively, restless, bold, and wary ; 
their notes are very similar, chirping and inharmonious, and they seem 
to be almost as fond of the neighbourhood of man. ‘They do not, 
however, build their nests on houses. 
Another interesting and common bird was the Japim, a species of 
Cassicus (C. icteronotus). It belongs to the same family of bird as our 
starling, magpie, and rook. It has a rich yellow and black plumage 
remarkably compact and velvety in texture. The shape of its head and 
its physiognomy are very similar to those of the magpie ; it has light 
grey eyes, which give it the same knowing expression. It is social in 
its habits; and builds its nest, like the English rook, on trees in the 
neighbourhood of habitations. But the nests are quite differently 
constructed, being shaped like purses, two feet in length, and suspended 
from the slender branches all round the tree, some of them very near 
the ground. The entrance is on the side, near the bottom of the nest. 
This bird is a great favourite with the Brazilians of Pard: it is a noisy, 
stirring, babbling creature, passing constantly to and fro, chattering to 
its comrades, and is very ready at imitating other birds, especially the 
domestic poultry of the vicinity. There was at one time a weekly 
newspaper published at Pard, called “The Japim”; the name being 
chosen, I suppose, on account of the babbling propensities of the bizd. 
Its eggs are nearly round, and of a bluish-white colour, speckled with 
brown. , 
Of other vertebrate animals we saw very little, except of the lizards. 
These are sure to attract the attention of the new comer from Northern 
Europe, by reason of their strange appearance, great numbers, and 
variety. ‘The species which are seen crawling over the walls of buildings 
in the city are different from those found in the forest or in the interior 
of houses. ‘They are unpleasant-looking animals, with colours assimi- 
lated to those of the dilapidated stone and mud walls on which they are 
