SOUTH AMERICA. 129 



not seen, for it always sits with its head drawn 8EtON 



JOURNEY. 



in upon its shoulders : it sometimes feeds with the 

 cotingas on the guava and hitia trees ; but its 

 chief nutriment seems to be insects, and, like most 

 birds which follow this prey, its chaps are well 

 armed with bristles : it is found in Demerara at 

 all times of the year, and makes a nest resembling 

 that of the stock dove. This bird never takes 

 long flights, and when it crosses a river or creek 

 it goes by long jerks. 



The boclora is very unsuspicious, appearing 

 quite heedless of danger : the report of a gun 

 within twenty yards will not cause it to leave 

 the branch on which it is sitting, and you may 

 often approach it so near as almost to touch it 

 with the end of your bow. Perhaps there is 

 no bird known whose feathers are so slightly fixed 

 to the skin as those of the boclora. After shoot- 

 ing it, if it touch a branch in its descent, or if 

 it drop on hard ground, whole heaps of feathers 

 fall off: on this account it is extremely hard to 

 procure a specimen for preservation. As soon 

 as the skin is dry in the preserved specimen, 

 the feathers become as well fixed as those in 

 any other bird. 



Another species, larger than the boclora, at- The cua. 

 tracts much of your notice in these wilds; it is 

 called Cuia by the Indians, from the sound of 

 its voice; its habits are the same as those of 

 the boclora, but its colours different; its head, 



K 



