GEORGETOY\ X. 127 



taining a Yellow-bellied Calliste 142 was one day placed in 

 a tree about twenty feet high, and limed twigs arranged 

 on neighboring branches. In two hours in the morning, 

 two specimens of the same species, three Blue Tanagers, 143 

 two Black-faced Callistes, 141 two Toua-touas or Brown- 

 breasted Pygmy Grosbeaks, 129 and one Yellow Oriole 159 were 

 taken. The various species of Tanagers and Orioles are 

 much more gregarious in feeding habits than the Finches, 

 hence the variety caught. The Toua-touas were purely 

 accidental visitors. The Finches can rarely be taken by a 

 call-bird not of the same species. 



The black or coolie boy who makes his living at catching 

 birds at "tuppence" each, sets out at daylight with his two 

 or three call-birds in their cribs, arranged on a stick. Arrived 

 at some secluded spot, where he has heard the song of an 

 intended victim, he sets his call-birds on upright sticks of 

 two or three feet in length and places on the top of each 

 cage a strong wire-, heavily smeared witli the gum of the 

 sapadillo. This wire is very carefully twisted so that it can- 

 not by any possibility become loc.-ened. This is, of course, 

 contrary to the ethics of all good bird-catchers, for if the bird 

 falls to the ground with its stick, it is much more certain to 

 be secured, and less liable to injure itself. However, this is 

 British Guiana. 



Having .made his "set-up," the youth steals softly back 

 and conceals himself a short distance away. As soon as 

 left to themselves, the birds, if they be experienced, com- 

 mence their song. Soon, an answering call is heard. In- 

 stantly the decoys cease their song, and send forth their 

 sharp call-notes. Soon the curious stranger appears, per- 

 haps a fine adult male, full of eagerness for a battle. If this 

 be the case the songs are again resumed, and the climax of 

 the concert is almost certain to be the capture of the chal- 

 lenger. If the visitor be a coy female, the seductive call-notes 



