Zoological Society. 141 



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 palaeontologist frantic with dehght. Close by, the steadier and 

 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, Uzards, and all sorts of Coprics ; in fact, a 

 first-rate piece of interesting geology, only not baked or compressed 

 yet. Edging the bank is the eternal forest. 



The Red-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 

 the freshwater canal called the " Lamaha," which was intended to 

 supply the city of Georgetown with water. They prey particularly 

 on the Hassar (Callichthys, Schomb.). This curious fish, which 

 builds a nest in or under which it lays its eggs, is found in abundance 

 in the small pools and water-holes of the savannahs. It is a very do- 

 mestic fish. The female, when the time for spavraing arrives, collects 

 a number of small pieces of stick, and places them together, across 

 one another ; it then, descending beneath this structure, which is 

 about a foot in diameter, exspumates a quantity of viscid matter, 

 which, being mingled with air, causes the nest to float. In this viscid 

 exspumation the eggs are laid, and both the male and female remain 

 near the nest, making furious strokes at any intruder ; and as they 

 are provided with a very sharp bony first ray to the dorsal fin, if a 



