THE LIFE OF THE ABARY SAVANNAS. 



373 



numerous dead twigs and from the broken stub of each 

 issued a horde of black stinging ants. These hastened my 

 ascent and at last I made my way out on the swaying upper 

 branches. (Fig. 151.) From here I had a fairly clear view 

 of the surrounding bush and if I worked rapidly I could 

 secure three or four pictures before the Hoatzins took flight 

 and hid amid the foliage. 



FIG. 155. (D) FEMALE HOATZIN CROUCHING TO AVOID OBSERVATION. 



Of all my pictures that of Fig. 157 is the prize. We 

 came upon a flock of Hoatzins late in the afternoon and were 

 fortunate enough to get into a clear space and to photograph 

 eleven on the same plate; the confused mass near the centre 

 of the picture containing four individuals. Fig. 148 shows 

 the character of the country where we found the Hoatzins on 



