Results of a Visit to South Guyana. 159 



enemy, be it man or some carnivorous animal. Ostinops, 

 when in society and in good humour, sometimes utters a 

 most striking song, comparable only to the ringing of the 

 goat-bells heard in the Alps of Switzerland. Blue Araras 

 were often seen flying high over the river from one shore to 

 the other. 



Along the river we noted among the water-birds a small 

 Tringa, the same as was mentioned before, generally in 

 companies of from two to four individuals, rising, on the 

 approach o£ our canoe, with a melodious fi-fi, fi-fi. Now 

 a White Heron {A. candidissima) , then a Blue Heron 

 {A. coerulea), and from time to time a Scarlet Ibis {Ibis rubra) 

 is seen. Constant companions were the Kingfishers, the large 

 Ceryle torquata, generally perched on some overhanging 

 branch, being the first to give the sign of alarm with his 

 strident cry, which is like kreh, kreh, kreh, &c. I was much 

 pleased to note here, besides the four species of Ceryle spread 

 all over Brazil, a fifth species, although not very common, 

 the Ceryle inda (sive bicolor). 



Exceedingly frequent we found the two Swallows already 

 mentioned — Tachycineta albiventris and Atticora fasciata. 

 Sometimes individuals of both were perceived at the same 

 time, but more often we saw one, and a moment after only 

 the other species. As it seemed to me, Atticora fasciata 

 kept to special localities, where there were a somewhat elevated 

 shore and high earthbanks. At such places the banks were 

 full of small holes, which were probably made by the King- 

 fishers and Shore-Swallows*. 



After a day's navigation up stream we arrived on the 

 " Cachoeira Rasa,'' a granitic barrier of successive terraces 

 extending over near a kilometre, and therefore a serious 

 obstacle for a canoe. Here is the last human residence, and 

 the limit between the known and the unexplored course of 

 the Upper Counany. Not being sufficiently equipped for an 

 exploration beyond this cascade, I had to remain here, and 



* I am convinced that Atticora fasciata was breeding there and at 

 that season. See Sharpe and Wyatt, 'Monograph of the Hirundinidse,' 

 p. 495. 



