in North-eastern Brazil. 351 



84. DiPLOPTERUs n;i:vil'h. 



I only once saw this ])ird, at (laranhuns. It was feeding 

 in tlic road, from vvliioli it flow up, as I approached, into 

 u noighhouriiif^ trco. Thcric(; it flow (h>wn a^^airi into an 

 adjoining maize-field, where its eolour raatehed well witii tliat 

 of the soil. A successful stalk on my [)art ended its career, 

 ' f The i rides are palish brown. 



85. I'lAVA CAY ANA. 



This Cuckoo I first saw at Cabo ; afterwards I met with it 

 at Parahyba, and a{<ain at Uuipapa. It is usually seen sinj^Iy, 

 and is apparently by no means rare. Though generally seen 

 in trees, it seems awkward and by no means at its case oft the 

 ground. It sitfe quietly for a long time, and then, wlien dis- 

 turbed, creeps off through the leaves and files away on the 

 other side. It has a loud screaming cry, which frequently 

 betrays its presence. Once, at Quipapfi, I saw one being 

 mobbed by some small birds, just as Owls or Hawks often 

 are in tfiis country. The Brazilians know the bird well, as it 

 is rendered conspicuous both by its colour and cry, and call 

 it '^ Almo do Oato.^' The colouring of tlie soft parts makes 

 this bird, Avhen alive or freslily killed, far handsomei- than 

 would be inferred from the skin alone. 



The iridcs are bright ruby-red and the eyelids scarlet ; 

 the beak is yellowish green ; the feet ip'ay, with the soles 

 yellowish. 



80. Co.vuRUs jbndAva. 



This Parrakcet, called by the Brazilians " Jandaia,^' may 

 often be seen tamed in houses, and to this species no doubt 

 Ijclonged most of the Conuri that I continually saw fiying 

 in small flocks of from four to twenty or so, both at Para- 

 hyba and between Ouipapa and Oaranhuns. These birds, 

 liowevcr, were so wary that I only once succeeded in at all 

 making out what they were by means of a glass, whicli clearly 

 revealed their yellow undersides. At other times thay were 

 invariably high in th(; air, far out of gun-shot and almost 

 out of sight; indeed their presence was usually first indicated 

 by their cries, which ward audible long before they them- 



