THEIR BIRDS AND MONKEYS. I7l 



seven parrots, two manakins, a motmot, two guans, two 

 manaviris, and eight monkeys. Father Zea whispered 

 some complaints at the daily augmentation of this ambu- 

 latory collection. The toucan resembles the raven in 

 manners and intelligence. It is a courageous bird, but 

 easily tamed. Its long and stout beak serves to "defend 

 it at a distance. It makes itself master of the house, 

 steals whatever it can come at, and loves to bathe often 

 and fish on the banks of the river. The toucan that 

 Humboldt bought was very young ; yet it took delight, 

 during the whole voyage, in teasing the nocturnal mon- 

 keys, which were melancholy and irritable. 



Most of the animals were confined in small wicker 

 cages ; others ran at full liberty in all parts of the boat. 

 At the approach of rain the macaws sent forth noisy 

 cries, the toucan wanted to reach the shore to fish, and 

 the little monkeys went in search of Father Zea, to take 

 shelter in the large sleeves of his Franciscan habit. These 

 incidents sometimes amused the travellers so much that 

 they forgot the torment of the mosquitos. At night they 

 placed a leather case containing their provisions in the 

 centre ; then their instruments, and the cages of their 

 animals ; their hammocks were suspended around the 

 cages, and beyond were those of the Indians. The ex- 

 terior circle was formed by the fires which were lighted 

 to keep off the jaguars. Such was the order of their en- 

 campment on the banks of the Cassiquiare. 



Amonsr the Indians in their canoe was a fapjitive from 

 Guaisia, who had become sufficiently civilized in a few 

 weeks to be useful to them in placing the instruments ne- 

 cessary for their observations at night. He was no less 

 mild than intelligent, and they had some desire of taking 



