466 TROPICAL WILD LIFE IN BRITISH GUIANA 



Deer are reported to be diminishing rapidly, in the sa- 

 vannahs, since the Indians have taken to the buck-gun. The 

 deer are most plentiful about the Napi and upon the Katoka 

 Savannah. Here, again, the Indians differentiate four spe- 

 cies of deer: 



Walking (Odocoileus virginianus) . 



A smaller Savannah deer (Mazama americana). 



Usari ( Wirriboceri ) ( Mazama simplicicornis ) , a bush 

 deer, such as we used to shoot in the Upper Massaruni 

 Forest. 



Karithauku Also a bush deer, darker in color, with 

 white front, smaller than the Usari, which, by the way, has 

 white spots about under parts. 



The bush deer are to be found in Uruata Forest. Xot 

 much was seen of opossums, for they keep to the trees, hid- 

 ing amongst the foliage and in their holes. A small variety 

 was discovered in a tool-box, under our house, at the Mission. 

 It was about six inches long, and its tail was as long as its 

 body. Its large, black eyes seemed to be out of proportion 

 to its narrow head, and its dark-brown ears protruded promi- 

 nently. The creature snarled and snapped and showed a 

 lot of h'ght. Mr. Rodway identifies this animal as Didelphys 

 murinus. Mouse-lila. 



A yawarri, also a pouched animal, was shot by me, in 

 the same store-room. It showed its teeth and uttered its 

 gurgling growl in a terrifying manner. This creature is 

 partial to fowls' eggs, and will play havoc with young 

 chickens. 



Monkeys are common in all the bush. The kwata 

 (quattor Aides paniscus) has given its name to Kwata-ta, 

 which means Kwata-place (ta being an abbreviation of pata, 

 place), and to the knob of land, Kwata-pubai, or Kwata- 

 head. I have seen a party of a dozen of these animals, mak- 

 ing their way from one big bush to another, using, as their 

 highway, the low scrub, which, at that place, fringes the sa- 

 vannah, at the river's edge. They would not cross a long 



