245 condamine's tra\tels 



Of parrots and water-fowl, the varieties, differing in fize, colour and form, are nura- 

 berlefs ; xhe mofl rare among the parrots are thofe entirely yellow, except a fmall tinge 

 of green at the extremity of the wings. Of this fpecies I faw but two at Para, where 

 the grey with the tip of the wings of a flame colour, fo common in Guenca, is 

 unknown. 



The Maynas, Omaguas, and various other nations form fancy-works in feathers, but 

 with much inferior ingenuity, and far lefs neatnefs, than is obferved among the Mex- 

 icans. 



The inhabitants on the Oyapoc have the (kill of caufmg parrots to alTume colours 

 different to thofe they originally difplayed, by plucking their feathers and rubbing the 

 wounds with the blood of certain frogs ; this operation is what in Cayenne is termed 

 Tapirer un Parroquet : pofTibly the fecret confifts in nothing beyond bathing the fpot 

 from whence the feathers were plucked with fome acid, indeed the application may 

 be altogether ufelefs, for it is no more wonderful that red or yellow feathers fuould 

 fpring up in lieu of the green that Were plucked, than to fee grey hairs grow from a 

 wounded part on a horfe where black had been before. 



Among the fmgular birds I faw at Para was one the fize of a goofe, the plumage 

 of which pofTefTes nothing extraordinary, but of which the extremity of the wings is 

 armed by a fharp horny fubflance, fimilar to a large thorn, half an inch in length. It 

 has moreover, above its beak, another very flender and flexible horn, the length 

 of the fmger : it is called by the Brazilians, from the cry it makes of fimilar found, 

 Cahuitahu. 



The bird called Trompetero by the Spaniards of the province of Maynas, is the fame 

 with the Agami of Para and Cayenne. It is very familiar and pofTelTes nothing extra- 

 ordinary if the noife it occafionally makes be excepted, which has earned it the title 

 of trumpeter. Thofe who have conceived the noife made by this bird to be a note 

 or fong, are much in error ; it proceeds not from the throat, but an organ diametri- 

 cally oppofite. 



The celebrated Contur, by corruption called Condor, of Peru, which I faw in 

 many parts of the mountains of the province of Quito, is likewife found, if reliance is 

 to be placed in my informants, on the banks of the Marafion, nay, I have myfelf feen 

 thefe birds fcudding over a flock which probably the prefence of the fhepherd retrained 

 them from pouncing upon. It is a generally received opinion that the Contur can 

 carry off a kid, and fometimes flies away with a child. It is faid the Americans, as a 

 lure, expofe the image of a child, formed of a fpecies of clay of very vifcous and ad- 

 herent nature, from which this bird, ftriking on it as it pitches, with violence, is 

 afterwards unable to difengage itfelf. 



On the 19th of September, nearly four months from my leaving Cuenca, I arrived 

 within fight of Para, called by the Portuguefe the Great Para (Para in the Brazilian 

 tongue fignifying a river), and landed at a dependency of the college of Jefuits. The 

 provincial of the convent gave us welcome, and the redior detained us a week, pro- 

 curing us every diverfion the country could afford, while apartments in the city were 

 preparing for our reception. On reaching Para on the 27th, we found in readinefs 

 for us, a very commodious and richly furnifhed houfe, with a garden commanding the 

 fea, and precifely fituate as I wilhed, for the obfervations I had to make. The gover- 

 nor and captain-general of the province received us in that handfome manner we were 

 led to exped, from the orders he had tranfmttted for our treatment on the way, to 

 ' the different commandants of the forts, and from the ftrong recommendations in our 

 favour, tranfmitted by him to the various milTionaries we had met with. 



On 



