142 WANDERINGS IN- 



SECOND trees have ripe fruit on them, they are covered 



JOURNEY. A 



with this magnificent parrot: he is not shy or 



wary; you may take your blow-pipe and quiver 

 of poisoned arrows, and kill more than you are 

 able to carry back to your hut. They are very 

 vociferous, and like the common parrots, rise up 

 in bodies towards sunset, and fly two and two to 

 their place of rest. It is a grand sight in orni- 

 thology to see thousands of aras flying over your 

 head, low enough to let you have a full view of 

 their flaming mantle. The Indians find their 

 flesh very good, and the feathers serve for orna- 

 ments in their head-dresses. They breed in the 

 holes of trees, are easily reared and tamed, and 

 learn to speak pretty distinctly. 



Another species frequents the low lands of 

 Demerara. He is nearly the size of the scarlet 

 ara, but much inferior in plumage. Blue and 

 yellow are his predominant colours. 



The Bit- Along the creeks and river sides, and in the 



tern. . . 



wet savannas, six species of the Bittern will en- 

 gage your attention. They are all handsome. 

 The smallest not so large as the English water- 

 hen. 



The snow- In the savannas too, you will sometimes sur- 

 Egrette. prise the snow-white Egrette, whose back is 

 adorned with the plumes from which it takes its 

 name. Here too the spur-winged water-hen, the 

 blue and green water-hen, and two other species 

 of ordinary plumage, are found. While in quest 



