HINTERLAND NOTES 475 



denuded of leaves and branches, or at the summit of the 

 tallest tree at the edge of a wood. One evening, as we 

 were returning from the North Savannah, up the hill to the 

 Mission, we heard a cicada, as it traversed our direction, high 

 in the air. Two hawks were poised, nearby, examining the 

 woods, on either side of the trail. One of them swooped 

 at the cicada and carried it off in its talons, protesting loudly 

 the while. Truly the great do not despise small things! A 

 smaller hawk-bird, called by the Indians, enthaking, hunted 

 in the village, ever on the watch for the beautiful pets kept by 

 the Indians, or for stray chickens. A large bird, in appear- 

 ance like a hawk, hunts with the vultures. It has a white 

 head and collar. The Indians call it krakra. It does not 

 kill its food; but feeds upon grubs and worms and carrion. 

 Probably, it seeks carrion in the rotted meat. About the 

 rocky hills, at Tuka, the kite is to be admired. It nests in 

 bushes amongst the rugged boulders. 



At the Mission I shot a large hawk, with feathers barred 

 black and white, and black and rufus-brown. It was a hand- 

 some bird, and measured exactly four feet from tip to tip of 

 wings. 



A hill, about a mile to the northwest of the Mission is 

 named after the smaller curassow, which is said to have 

 abounded hereabouts, though, now, it is seldom to be seen. 

 The large curassow is common in the big forests of Rewa 

 and Uruata. Certain thickets, along the river, are its favor- 

 ite haunts, and it was noticed that when a bird had been shot 

 at one of these the spot was occupied by a successor, not long- 

 afterwards. The booming ugm, ugm .... ugm, ugm, ugm, 

 (twice, then thrice), rouses the Indians to a pitch of eager- 

 ness, while the boat is yet a long way off. Stalking is diffi- 

 cult, as it is almost impossible for even an Indian to make 

 way through a thicket of underbrush without snapping a 

 single twig. At the first sound of snapping, the booming 

 ceases. There is a very long pause before it is resumed. 

 Should more snaps be heard, a little nearer, those who are 



