Chap . VI. PARROTS, FISHES AND ALLIGATOR. 227 



went ashore : the men to fish in a small creek ; Joa5 da 

 Cunha and I, to shoot bh'ds. We saw a flock of scarlet 

 and blue macaws (Macrocercus Macao) feeding on the 

 fruits of a Bacaba palm, and looking like a cluster of 

 flaunting banners beneath its dark-green crown. We 

 landed about fifty yards from the place, and crept 

 cautiously through the forest, but before we reached 

 them they flew off with loud harsh screams. At a 

 wild-fruit tree we were more successful, as my com- 

 panion shot an anaca (Derotypus coronatus), one of the 

 most beautiful of the parrot family. It is of a green 

 colour, and has a hood of feathers, red bordered with 

 blue, at the back of its head, which it can elevate or 

 depress at pleasure. The anaca is the only new-world 

 parrot which nearly resembles the cockatoo of Aus- 

 tralia. It is found in all the low lands throughout 

 the Amazons region, but is not a common bird any- 

 where. Few persons succeed in taming it, and I never 

 saw one that had been taught to speak. The natives 

 are very fond of the bird nevertheless, and keep 

 it in their houses for the sake of seeing the irascible 

 creature expand its beautiful frill of feathers, which it 

 readily does when excited. The men returned with a 

 large quantity of fish. I was surprised at the great 

 variety of species ; the prevailing kind was a species of 

 Loricaria, a foot in length, and wholly encased in bony 

 armour. It abounds at certain seasons in shallow 

 water. The flesh is dry, but very palatable. They 

 brought also a small alligator, which they called Jacard- 

 curua, and said it was a kind found only in shallow 

 creeks. It was not more than two feet in length, 



Q 2 



