SOUTH AMERICA. 119 



insects come out to the edge of the flower in order 8EC *D 



JOURNEY. 



that the sun's rays may dry the nocturnal dew and ~ 

 rain which they have received. On opening the 

 stomach of the humming-bird, dead insects are 

 almost always found there. 



Next to the humming-birds, the cotingas dis- The Co- 

 play the gayest plumage. They are of the order '" 

 of passer, and you number five species betwixt the 

 sea-coast and the rock Saba. Perhaps the scarlet 

 cotinga is the richest of the five, and is one of 

 those birds which are found in the deepest 

 recesses of the forest. His crown is flaming red ; 

 to this abruptly succeeds a dark shining brown, 

 reaching half way down the back : the remainder 

 of the back, the rump, and tail, the extremity of 

 which is edged with black, are a lively red ; the 

 belly is a somewhat lighter red ; the breast reddish 

 black ; the wings brown. He has no song, is 

 solitary, and utters a monotonous whistle which 

 sounds like "quet." He is fond of the seeds of 

 the hitia tree, and those of the siloabali and 

 bastard siloabali trees, which ripen in December, 

 and continue on the trees for above two months. 

 He is found throughout the year in Demerara; 

 still nothing is known of his incubation. The 

 Indians all agree in telling you that they have 

 never seen his nest. 



The purple-breasted cotinga has the throat and The purple- 

 breast of a deep purple, the wings and tail black, and 

 all the rest of the body a most lovely shining blue. 



