234 A NATURALIST IN THE GUIANAS 



note of this queer-looking bird is in accord with the 

 misshapen trees, all twisted and turned, he has fixed upon 

 as his abode. 



Up to a late hour at night we discussed plans for the 

 projected exploration of the mountain. Finally it was 

 decided that five men, including Maite, should accompany 

 me, and that we would take provisions for three days, 

 our blankets and hammocks, and a change of clothing. 

 Pedro Hospedales, his son Freddy, and Pedro Asoque 

 were to go out collecting birds every day until my return. 

 I entrusted the labelling of the specimens to Jacobson, 

 the preparation of the skins being Villegente's work. I 

 never cared to leave my taxidermist to his own devices, 

 for if ever a man required strict supervision in his work 

 it was this apathetic creature, whose existence appeared 

 to be divided between eating and sleeping. The owner 

 of an insatiable appetite, he was possessed by a drowsiness, 

 with lucid intervals at meal-time only, when he would be 

 more wideawake and active than any other member of 

 our party. With the last mouthful the yearning to return 

 to his hammock would take possession of him, and if 

 I happened to be away or engaged in some occupation 

 other than watching him, he would hm-ry through his 

 skins, spoiling most of them, so as to be able to get back 

 to his beloved resting-place and doze the time away. 

 Jacobson, who had a weakness for bestowing pet names 

 on the members of the expedition, had christened this 

 strange compound of hunger and sleep the ' Bird Car- 

 penter.' For the eight long months I had him with me 

 I racked my brains for some epithet capable of designating 

 in a concise manner his abhorrence of work, his devotion 

 to rest, and his capacity for absorbing food in any shape 

 or form, but as I could not hit upon any one word 



