476 TROPICAL WILD LIFE IN BRITISH GUIANA 



expectantly waiting in the boat, hear a loud beating of wings, 

 as the alarmed bird bursts through the foliage and makes 

 way. The curassow is often tamed. Its crest of black feath- 

 ers, its glossy black back and wings, its immaculate white 

 waistcoat, and its bright gamboge bill, make it a handsome 

 pet. Another pet is the maroudie, or bush turkey, with its 

 blood-red wattles. The thakami, or trumpet bird, is more 

 than a pet ; it is a companion. Its antics are very amusing, 

 two or three, together, have round games, leaping over each 

 other and tossing stones, leaves, and twigs. Its brilliant 

 dicky of cobalt blue, Prussian blue, and ultramarine (such 

 a blending of blues !) , is well set off by its grey mantle, falling 

 over wings and the place where its tail ought to be, being- 

 edged with dull yellow-ochre. This bird fearlessly attacks 

 and kills snakes. In the Upper Massaruni, I have seen it 

 ferret out a yackman, or whip-snake, and attack it. When- 

 ever we killed, at the Mission, the meat and blood always 

 caused great excitement amongst our trumpeters. 



They are easy to keep, for they are omnivorous. Maams 

 and maamus are to be found in the big forests, where the 

 thakami dwell, and in the smaller woods, where the trum- 

 peter disdains to live. The hanaqua, inquiring, What 

 o'clock? What o'clock? at dawn and close of day is ubiq- 

 uitous, and abounds upon the outskirts of savannahs and 

 clearings. Toucans of several kinds are common in the big- 

 ger woods. Their plumage is prized by the Indians, for 

 decking their persons. Three macaws may be seen the 

 wathara (crimson and blue) , the kuyari (green and yellow), 

 and the karawa (red-breasted). These birds frequent the 

 trees which provide them with food. At the Mission there 

 is a tree called kuyari in, the (kuyari's food tree). Three 

 parakeets are caught and kept: small green, paraki; green, 

 with long tail, kaikai ; orange, red about the eyes, greenish- 

 yellow tail, kuyese. The chiriki is the love-bird, also a para- 

 keet, of course. Parrots are everywhere swarming. I have 

 not listed the varieties. Only once did I hear a tiger-bird. 



