478 Dr. E. A. Goekli — Ornithological Results 



the central buildings seem to be equally afraid of strangers 

 and of work. I obtained there, as well as on many other 

 similar occasions, a very unfavourable idea of these relics of 

 the slavery period. They are generally too lazy for anything 

 except rum-drinking. I received the impression that the 

 moral level among the coloured element on the river Capim 

 is at present lower than that of the free and independent 

 Indians on the headwaters. 



Approaga was our headquarters on the Lower Capim. 

 Here, most hospitably treated by Civil-Engineer Snr. Vicente 

 Cliermont do Miranda, who had come out from Para especially 

 for the purpose, and by Major Ayres, his Administrator, we 

 lived, from the 15th to the 24th of June, hunting, collecting, 

 and preparing ourselves for the expedition to the headwaters 

 of the river. 



During these nine days I had an opportunity of acquiring 

 a general notion of the ornithological features of the district, 

 so near to that visited forty-eight years before by Wallace. 

 On the very first evening my attention was called to a colony 

 of from twenty to thirty examples of Cassicus persicus, 

 with their hanging nests distributed over three "pao d'arco " 

 of moderate height. The birds were building at this season, 

 using, as the people told me, both dry grass and split palm- 

 leaves. I was also told that the "Araras" (Macaws) had 

 young at the time. In the palm-trees in front of the fazenda 

 was a continuous movement of glittering Tanagers (Tanagra 

 palmarum) and other Passerine birds. The small and never 

 quiet Wren (Troglodytes musculus) was always to be found 

 busy on the roof of the house, and also in the vast arched 

 basement and in the empty engine-rooms. On the bridge 

 of the landing-place was a favourite resting-corner of some 

 graceful Swallows, particularly Tachycineta albiventris ; 

 various Kingfishers passed up and down the river, the large 

 Ceryle torquata being easily recognised by its size and its 

 penetrating war-cry. From the nearer forests behind the 

 fazenda and on the opposite side of the river we frequently 

 heard the melodious whistling of the White-breasted Toucan 

 (Rliamphastus erythrorhynchus), the deafening noise made 



