120 THE TOCANTIIv^S. Chap. IV. 



abling it to grasp firmly the branches of trees. This is a 

 distinguishing character of all the birds in equinoctial 

 America which represent the fowl and pheasant tribes of 

 the old world, and affords another proof of the adaptation 

 of the Fauna to a forest region. The Cigana lives in 

 considerable flocks on the lower trees and bushes bor- 

 dering the streams and lagoons, and feeds on various 

 wild fruits, especially the sour Goyava (Psidium sp.). 

 The natives say it devours the fruit of arborescent 

 Arums (Caladium arborescensj, which grow in crowded 

 masses around the swampy banks of lagoons. Its voice 

 is a harsh, grating hiss ; it makes the noise when 

 alarmed, all the individuals sibilating as they fly heavily 

 away from tree to tree, when disturbed by passing 

 canoes. It is polygamous, like other members of the 

 same order. It is never, however, by any chance^ seen 

 on the ground, and is nowhere domesticated. The flesh 

 has an unpleasant odour of musk combined with wet 

 hides — a smell called by the Brazilians catinga ; it is, 

 therefore, uneatable. If it be as unpalateable to car- 

 nivorous animals as it is to man, the immunity from 

 persecution which it would thereby enjoy would account 

 for its existing in such great numbers throughout the 

 country. 



A great number of the insects which we found 

 here were different from those of Para. Species charac- 

 teristic of the one locality were replaced by allied species 

 in the other, a fact which would tend to the conclusion 

 that the Tocantins serves, to some extent, as a barrier 

 to migration. This was especially the case with the 

 Papilios of the group which wear a livery of black, 



