246 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



and quail. Species which are subject to the natural dan- 

 gers of migration only and are protected during the nest- 

 ing-season, comparatively speaking, rear small broods of 

 young; warblers, thrushes, and a number of our own native 

 birds would come in this category; to further offset the 

 loss, some of these latter may even rear two broods in a 

 season. When we reach the tropics a marked change is 

 noticeable; the extremes in climatic conditions are usually 

 represented by the wet and dry seasons; there are few ene- 

 mies and food is abundant, consequently the loss of life is 

 comparatively small. If reproduction proceeded there at 

 the same rate as in the northern lands, it must be obvious 

 that the country would soon be overstocked; but again it 

 has been decreed that the equity should be preserved, and 

 the great majority of tropical birds nest but once a year, 

 and then the full complement of eggs is but two. Of course 

 there are a number of exceptions on each side, and on such 

 matters it is difficult to generalize, but in the majority of 

 cases this will be found to be true. 



On one of my walks in the forest I came upon a troop of 

 peculiar little monkeys of the saki family (cacajao) feeding 

 in the top of a tall wild fig-tree. They differed from all 

 other known members of the genus by being entirely black, 

 with snow-white noses. While feeding they were quiet, 

 and the only thing that betrayed their presence was the 

 constant pattering of small particles of fruit upon the dry 

 leaves carpeting the ground. Presently they took fright, 

 and away they went in a series of leaps and bounds, so 

 that the tree-tops were agitated as by a violent gust of 

 wind; they uttered queer little whining squeaks as they 

 ran and soon disappeared from view. A small one of the 

 same species which I owned was a most amusing little pet 

 and never failed to gain a place in the affections of any one 

 who beheld it — even the most calloused camarada; it was 

 of a most playful and friendly disposition and, if petted, 

 made the most ridiculous faces and bubbled with laughter. 

 Another monkey that was common in the forest was a 



