384 Mr. E. L. Layard on Birds observed at Para, 



most branches of a tall tree in my garden. Though fired at 

 several times, and hit with the first shot, the best-tailed bird 

 returned again and again to the same branch, till I secured 

 him. The flock kept about for a month, and then disappeared. 

 Other flocks were in various places in the neighbourhood at 

 the same time. 



They hawked after flics, sallying out from their resting- 

 places, turning over and twisting about very nimbly and 

 gracefully, spreading their tails, and making them assume 

 a pretty lyrate form. Sometimes before rain, when swarms 

 of flying ants would be issuing forth from the nests in the 

 trees, these birds would be very active ; then, when darting 

 about, their brilliant white undersides contrasted beautifully 

 against the dull leaden blue of the storm-clouds " big with 

 wind and rain." 



(■+■ 5LJPIPRA LEUCOCILLA (L.). 



Shot on the 27th of September, 1872, off a forest-tree. 

 Stomach contained one huge seed, undigested and swallowed 

 whole. 



-f - 52. PlPRA AURICAPILLA, Licht. 



I saw a single specimen of this bird in the forest near Na- 

 zare, but failed to secure it. I received skins from Pebas. 



53. Chiroxiphia pareola (L.). 



A single specimen shot in dense forest, 27th September, 

 1872. Stomach full of dark blue vegetable matter. 



54*. ChiromacHjEris manacus (L.) 



On the 29th of September T shot several of these little 

 birds, male and female, from a forest-tree, on the fruits of 

 which they were feeding. Had I stayed at the tree, I believe 

 I could have shot fifty. They kept dropping in singly every 

 moment, as did other species, quite unmindful of my presence 

 and of the noise of the gun. They make a curious rattling 

 noise (I suspect, by some movement of the oddly shaped wing- 

 feathers), which constantly betrays their presence in the forests. 



55. Pachyrhamphus atricapillus (Gin.). 

 Very scarce about Para ; inhabits the forest. 



