344 ANIMALS OF EGA. Chap. V. 



flocks in the forest near Ega in May and June, when 

 it has completed its moult. I did not find these bands 

 congregated at fruit-trees, but always wandering through 

 the forest, hopping from branch to branch amongst the 

 lower trees, and partly concealed amongst the foliage. 

 None of the Arassaris, to my knowledge, make a 

 yelping noise like that uttered by the larger Toucans 

 (Ramphastos) ; the notes of the curl-crested species 

 are very singular, resembling the croaking of frogs. 

 I had an amusing adventure one day with these birds. 

 I had shot one from a rather high tree in a dark glen 

 in the forest, and leaving my gun leaning against a 

 tree-trunk in the pathway, went into the thicket where 

 the bird had fallen, to secure my booty. It was only 

 wounded, and on my attempting to seize it, it set up a 

 loud scream. In an instant, as if by magic, the shady 

 nook seemed alive with these birds, although there 

 was certainly none visible when I entered the thicket. 

 They descended towards me, hopping from bough to 

 bough, some of them swinging on the loops and cables 

 of woody lianas, and all croaking and fluttering their 

 wings like so many furies. Had I had a long stick in 

 my hand I could have knocked several of them over. 

 After killing the wounded one I rushed out to fetch 

 my gun, but, the screaming of their companion having 

 ceased, they remounted the trees, and before I could 

 reload, every one of them had disappeared. 



Insects. — Upwards of 7000 species of insects were 

 found in the neighbourhood of Ega. I must confine 

 myself, in this place, to a few remarks on the order 



