LE VAILLANT'S PIONUS. 135 



hill to chaunt a hymn in honour of the God of Day, 

 The reason, however, of this assembly of the parrots, 

 is to warm and dry their plumage, moistened and 

 chilled by the dews of night, which in these regions 

 is often cold, and always damp. When once warmed, 

 and their plumage dry, they arise in small flocks, 

 and fly around in quest of their favourite fruit, a 

 kind of cherry, the stone of which they break, in or- 

 der to obtain the kernel. This their morning's meal 

 continues till about 10 or 11 o'clock, at which time 

 all the separate flocks fly to the water to bathe. 

 When the heat of day commences, they again seek 

 the deep recesses of the woods, in order to enjoy the 

 refreshment of the shade ; and at this time they keep 

 a silence so profound, that not a sound shall be heard 

 by a person sitting beneath a tree, though the branches 

 above be crowded with legions of parrots ; but on 

 the report of a gun, the whole flock fly off with the 

 rapidity of lightning, with a confused mixture of the 

 most discordant screams. 



When this their time of rest is elapsed, they again 

 disperse, in order to obtain their second or evening 

 meal ; after which, all the flocks of the whole district 

 reassemble with much noise and animation, and this 

 is the signal for their second visit to the water, which 

 is often far distant, as only the purest will please 

 them. They are then seen confusedly and playfully 

 rolling over each other on the margins of the pool, 

 at times dipping their heads and wings into the wa- 

 ter, in such a manner as to scatter it all over their 



