296 WANDERINGS IN 



FOURTH Indians informed me that one species of jacamar 



JOURNEY. 



- lays its eggs in the wood-ants' nests, which are so 

 frequent in the trees of Guiana, and appear like 

 huge black balls. I wish there had been proof 

 positive of this ; but the breeding time was over ; 

 and in the ants' nests which I examined, I could 

 find no marks of birds having ever been in them. 

 Early in January, the jacamar is in fine plumage 

 for the cabinet of the naturalist. The largest 

 species measures ten inches and a half from the 

 point of the beak to the end of the tail ; its name 

 amongst the Indians is Una-waya-adoucati, that 

 is, grandfather of the jacamar. It is certainly a 

 splendid bird; and in the brilliancy and change- 

 ableness of its metallic colours, it yields to none 

 of the Asiatic and African feathered tribe. The 

 colours of the female are nearly as bright as those 

 of the male, but she wants the white feathers 

 on the throat. The large jacamar is pretty 

 common about two hundred miles up the river 

 Demerara. 

 The three- Here I had a fine opportunity once more of 



toed Sloth. V 



examining the three-toed sloth. He was in the 

 house with me for a day or two. Had I taken a 

 description of him as he lay sprawling on the 

 floor, I should have misled the world, and injured 

 natural history. On the ground he appeared 

 really a bungled composition, and faulty at all 

 points; awkwardness and misery were depicted 

 on his countenance ; and when I made him 



