WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 331 



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 Decem- 

 ber, 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 Wan- 

 derings, 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 were about two hours distant from the place where the 

 gum-elastic trees grew. After a day and a night's rest I 

 went to them, and with my own hands made a fine ball 

 of pure India-rubber ; it hardened immediately it became 

 exposed to the air, and its elasticity was almost incredible. 



