GEORGETOWN. 125 



a number of manatees keep the aquatic vegetation cropped 

 close. A wonderful palm was in blossom at the time of 

 our visit a Taliput with a mass of bloom twelve feet 

 in height which had begun to flower the month before. 

 Governor Hodgson and Prof. Harrison gave us the free- 

 dom of the garden and placed at our disposal five circular 

 aviaries which proved of inestimable value in housing the 

 living birds which we were able to secure. 



Here Mr. Lee S. Crandall, our assistant, made his trapping 

 headquarters after our return from our first inland expedition 

 and here we spent many afternoons among the fields and by- 

 paths. 



We soon found that bird-trapping in the tropics is a task 

 beset by many difficulties. The extreme heat between the 

 hours of ten and four o'clock make even the "tackiest" 

 lime nearly as thin as water, and hardly capable of holding 

 even the diminutive "doctor-bird" as the natives call the 

 Hummingbirds. The call-birds, which are confined in very 

 small cages, or cribs, cannot endure the high temperature 

 under these conditions, and soon succumb if left out in 

 the sun. Operations, therefore, must be confined to the 

 few hours immediately following sunrise, and preceding 

 sunset. 



Another feature, very trying to the bird-catcher, is the 

 habit which most of the birds have of going singly or in pairs. 

 A few of the Icterine birds, such as the Yellow-ru-aded Hlack- 

 bird, 154 Cowbird, 153 Little Boat-tailed Grackle, 1 ' 1 " and most 

 of the Cassiques, feed usually in flocks, sometimes of great 

 size. In the deep bush of the interior it is the habit of birds 

 of many species to search together for food, following a set 

 route, and keeping closely to their time schedule. But ordi- 

 nary call-birds and " set-ups" are not for these. 



This gregarious habit among widely varying birds is, 

 however, at times, a great aid to the trapper. A cage con- 



