EXPLANATORY INDEX. 439 



" When engaged in the forest, cutting our portage, we were 

 frequently visited by bands of large Coiata monkeys, which were 

 very numerous on the banks of the upper part of this river 

 (the Essequibo). They were the black-bodied, red-faced kind 

 of large spider monkey, and uttered a sort of barking grunt. 

 Their cry, when calling to each other, has a wailing sound, 

 and is very loud. 



"On seeing us, they used frequently to hurl down large 

 dead branches, some of which came rather too close to our 

 heads at times to be comfortable. The manner in which 

 they performed this was singular : they held on by tail and 

 hind-feet to a live bough in a tree top, alongside of a 

 dead one, and pushing with their hands with all their force 

 against the latter, generally succeeding in breaking it off, 

 when down it came." (C. B. Brown, Canoe and Camp Life 

 in Guiana.} 



I have lately received ocular proof that a monkey can fling 

 missiles with a good aim. At the Crystal Palace there is 

 a baboon which is fastened by a chain. If a visitor should 

 give nuts, &c., to any other monkey, the baboon flings the 

 straw of its cage both at the donor and recipient. 



MORA (Mora excelsa). One of the many giants of the 

 vegetable kingdom which are found in Guiana, sometimes 

 attaining a height of two hundred feet. 



Mr. C. B. Brown gives the following description of this fine 

 tree : 



" The band of Mora-trees lining both banks of the Esse- 

 quibo continued along it as far up as we went, but did not 

 grow on the banks of the Rupununi up to Pirara landing. The 

 Mora grows only on a moist soil along the borders of the river, 

 forming a band on both sides of varying width, according to the 

 breadth of the band of flooded country during the rainy sea- 

 son. In places it is often not more than 100 yards in width. 

 Up many small side streams the Mora has marched to their 

 sources, while along others it has not attempted to spread. 



