WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 37 



animals, this poor, ill-formed creature's claim 

 would be the last upon the lowest degree. 



Demerara yields to no country in the world in 

 her wonderful and beautiful productions of the 

 feathered race. Here the finest precious stones 

 are far surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn 

 the birds. The naturalist may exclaim, that na- 

 ture has not known where to stop in forming new 

 species, and painting her requisite shades. Al- 

 most every one of those singular and elegant birds 

 described by Buffon as belonging to Cayenne, are 

 to be met with in Demerara; but it is only by an 

 indefatigable naturalist that they are to be found. 



The Scarlet Curlew breeds in innumerable quan- 

 tities in the muddy islands on the coasts of 

 Pomauron; the Egrets and Crabiers.in the same 

 place. They resort to the mud-flats at ebbing 

 water, while thousands of Sandpipers and Plovers, 

 with here and there a Spoonbill and Flamingo, 

 are seen amongst them. The Pelicans go farther 

 out to sea, but return at sundown to the Courada- 

 trees. The Humming-birds are chiefly to be found 

 near the flowers at which each of the species of 

 the genus is wont to feed. The pie, the gallina- 

 ceous, the columbine, and passerine tribes, resort 

 to the fruit-bearing trees. 



You never fail to see the common Vulture where 

 there is carrion. In passing up the river there 

 was an opportunity of seeing a pair of the King 

 of the Vultures; they were sitting on the naked 

 branch of a tree, with about a dozen of the com- 

 mon ones with them. A Tiger had killed a Goat 

 the day before; he had been driven away in the 

 act of sucking the blood, and not finding it safe 



'■:^.iji'^:'-±J.J>-3 



