310 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 



had been taken out of the nest that week. They 

 were of a uniform dirty brown colour, and by the 

 position of the young feathers upon the head, 

 you might see that there would be a crest there 

 when the bird arrived at maturity. By seeing 

 young ones in the month of June, I immediately 

 concluded that the old cock of the rock would be 

 in fine plumage from the end of November to the 

 beginning of May: and that the naturalist, who 

 was in quest of specimens for his museum, ought 

 to arrange his plans in such a manner as to be 

 able to get into Macoushia during these months. 

 However, I find now, that no exact period can be 

 fixed; for, in December, 1824, an Indian, in the 

 river Demerara, gave me a young cock of the rock 

 not a month old, and it had just been brought 

 from the Macoushi country. By having a young 

 specimen at this time of the year, it puts it out of 

 one's power to say at what precise time the old 

 birds are in full plumage. I took it on board a 

 ship with me for England, but it was so very 

 susceptible of cold that it shivered and died, three 

 days after we had passed Antigua. 



If ever there should be a great demand for 

 large supplies of gum-elastic, commonly called 

 India-rubber, it may be procured in abundance 

 far away in the wilds of Demerara and Essequibo. 



Some years ago, when I was in the Macoushi 

 country there was a capital trick played upon me 

 about India-rubber. It is almost too good to be 

 left out of these Wanderings, and it shows that 

 the wild and uneducated Indian is not without 

 abilities. Weary and sick, and feeble through 

 loss of blood, I arrived at some Indian huts, which 



