322 OUR SEARCH FOR A WILDERNESS. 



and flew here and there, while we passed flock after flock 

 of Antbirds, Woodhewers, Flycatchers and Tanagers. One 

 bird which I secured, the Wallace Olive Manakin, 112 was al- 

 together of a dull olive, with none of the brilliant color patches 

 of its congeners. When I went to pick up the specimen I 

 saw a curious jointed band lying across it and found a six- 

 inch centipede on the bird. The Manakin must have fallen 

 across the path of the Myriapod as it was crawling over the 

 jungle floor. While wrapping up this bird, a flock of tiny 

 Brown-fronted Jungle Vireos 128a flew close to us, uttering a 

 song like a diminutive alarm clock, Whirrrrrrrrrrr-chee! Whir- 

 rrrrrrrrrrrrr-chee! Francis shot one, which was hardly more 

 than four inches in length, olive-green above, paler below. 

 Those who think that all tropical birds are brightly colored 

 should see the great number of species of sober little fellows 

 like these. 



MARCH 3ist. Francis and I started out in a light rain 

 at daybreak in search of Trumpeters and howling monkeys. 

 The cook was well supplied with meat so we did not intend 

 to bother with game. With the help of Goeldi's plates of 

 Brazilian birds and much crude attempt at sketching I had 

 taught Francis what creatures I wished especially to see. 



About three hundred yards from the clearing Francis 

 pointed out a beautiful nest of a White-throated Robin 127 

 made of green, growing moss, and placed close to the trunk 

 of a tree, about six feet from the ground. We marked the 

 spot and went on, but a day or two later I returned and 

 examined it more carefully. This Thrush is olive brown 

 above, pale below with a streaked chin and throat like our 

 northern Robin. Its most characteristic mark, however, is a 

 patch of pure white on the upper breast, which flashes out 

 like a star among the shadows of the jungle. The parent was 

 shy and would slip off at my approach, but return as silently 

 if I walked away for a minute. When I prepared to photo- 



