WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 181 



then a toll, and again a pause. Then lie is silent for six or 

 eight minutes, and then another toll, and so on. Acteon 

 would stop in mid chace, Maria would defer her evening 

 song, and Orpheus himself would drop his lute to listen to 

 him, so sweet, so novel, and romantic is the toll of the 

 pretty snow-white campanero. He is never seen to feed 

 with the other cotingas. nor is it known in what part of 

 Guiana he makes his nest. 



While the cotingas attract your attention by their 

 superior plumage, the singular form of the Toucan makes 

 a lasting impression on your memory. There are three 

 species of toucans in Demerara, and three diminutives, 

 which may be called Toucanets. The largest of the first 

 species frequents the mangrove-trees on the sea-coast. He 

 is never seen in the interior till you reach Macoushia, 

 where he is found in the neighbourhood of the river 

 Tacatou. The other two species are very common. They 

 feed entirely on the fruits of the forest, and though of the 

 pie kind, never kill the young of other birds or touch 

 carrion. The larger is called Bouradi by the Indians, 

 (which means Nose,) the other, Scirou. They seem partial 

 to each other's company, and often resort to the same feed- 

 ing tree, and retire together to the same shady noon-day 

 retreat. They are very noisy in rainy weather at all hours 

 of the day, and in fair weather, at morn and eve. The 

 sound which the bouradi makes is like the clear yelping of 

 a puppy dog, and you fancy he says " Pia-po-o-co," and thus 

 the South American Spaniards call him Piapoco. 



All the toucanets feed on the same trees on which the 

 toucan feeds, and every species of this family of enormous 

 bill, lays its eggs in the hollow trees. They are social, but 

 not gregarious. You may sometimes see eight or ten in 

 company, and from this you would suppose they are gre- 

 garious ; but, upon a closer examination, you will find it 



