IN QUEST OF THE COCK-OF-THE-ROCK 89 



force that sends clouds of spray into the air. The slopes of 

 the mountains and ravines are covered with a dense palm 

 jungle, the trees laden with bunches of purple berries. It 

 is in places such as these that the cock-of-the-rock spends 

 its existence. After several weeks of the most strenuous 

 work our efforts were rewarded: we came suddenly upon a 

 flock of male birds in the top of a palm, the bright scarlet 

 color of the wonderful creatures flaming among the deep- 

 green fronds in a dazzling manner as they flitted about, 

 and with outstretched necks and raucous "eur-rr-ks" sur- 

 veyed the disturbers of their time-honored solitude. We 

 were the first human beings to penetrate their jungle fast- 

 ness and excited curiosity rather than fear. The mere sight 

 of these beautiful birds in their wild surroundings was 

 worth all the discomforts of the long journey. In size they 

 are no larger than domestic pigeons, but the color is of a 

 most intense and brilliant scarlet, with wings and tail of 

 black; the upper wing-coverts are of a light shade of gray, 

 and the eyes and feet are golden yellow; a flat crest an inch 

 and a half high completely covers the head and hides the 

 yellow bill. The female is of a dull shade of brown. 



We wanted to find their nests and to study their home 

 life, of which little was known; also to secure material for 

 the museum group. With the aid of Indians, and ropes 

 made of creepers, we began to explore the face of the 

 cliffs, some of which were a hundred feet high. On many 

 of the steep slopes the palms grew so close together that we 

 utilized them as ladders. As it rained nearly every day the 

 footholds were very slippery, and many times one or an- 

 other of the party fell, being saved from being dashed on 

 the rocks far below only by the rope that bound us 

 together. 



One day, as we crept along slowly and painfully, we 

 flushed a bird of sombre brown from a great boulder that 

 rose from the centre of the stream. We waited breathlessly 

 while she fluttered about in the palms and then returned 

 to the rock. She flew many times back and forth ; carry- 



