lis CRUSOE'S ISLAND. 



into the woods. As I was sitting on a mossy rock 

 eating ray luncheon I heard a shrill whistle, a whistle 

 with a twang in it like the whiz of a bowstring or 

 the nasal note of an nntraveled American. It was so 

 near, apparently, and came from the stillness of the 

 woods so abruptly, that I started. It was repeated — 

 " Whew^ whit ! " — and searching carefully, I discov- 

 ered its author perched upon a horizontal limb quietly 

 regarding me, holding his head on this side and then 

 on that, evidently awaiting a response. 



Nor was he disappointed ; another whistle, pre- 

 cisely like the first, announced the approach of an- 

 other bird. This one alighted on the same branch, 

 and then ensued the joUiest dance that it has been my 

 good fortune ever to witness. Seated on the same 

 branch, apparently as loving as a pair of love birds, 

 they began to whistle to each other, bobbing their 

 heads in a way that excited my laughter, and as if 

 to say, " After you, if you please," sidling away and 

 approaching, whistling merrily all the while. 



Their whistle now was not so shrill, but mellow 

 and plaintive; and I soon saw the cause of it all, 

 when another bird flew out of the shrubbery adjacent 

 and alighted near. This one was clad in sober colors, 

 olive green predominating, and was doubtless a 

 female, the others being males and her admirers. 

 As I afterward learned, this bird was known as the 

 "manakin" {Pipra pareola). The male has a scarlet 

 silken crest of triangular shape, which, as contrasted 

 with his blue back, gives him a strikingly handsome 

 and smart appearance. The female is very plain, but 



