298 WANDERINGS IN 



FOURTH bears great resemblance to Cayenne, and is so 



JOURNEY. 



near to it, I was in hopes to have found the Grande 

 Gobe Mouche of Buffon, and the septicoloured 

 Tangara, both of which are common in Cayenne ; 

 but after many diligent searches, I did not suc- 

 ceed ; nor could I learn from the Indians that they 

 had ever seen those two species of birds in these 

 parts. 

 The Gross- Here I procured the Gross-beak with a rich 



beak. r 



scarlet body, and black head and throat. Buffon 

 mentions it as coming from America. I had been 

 in quest of it for years, but could never see it, and 

 concluded that it was not to be found in Demerara. 

 This bird is of a greenish brown before it acquires 

 its rich plumage. 

 Procures a Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside 



large spe- 

 cies of Owl. of this part of the river, a red crab sometimes 



makes its appearance, as you are passing up and 

 down. It is preyed upon by a large species of 

 owl, which I was fortunate enough to procure. 

 Its head, back, wings, and tail, are of so dark a 

 brown, as almost to appear black. The breast 

 is of a somewhat lighter brown. The belly and 

 thighs are of a dirty yellow white. The feathers 

 round the eyes are of the same dark brown as the 

 rest of the body ; and then comes a circle of 

 white, which has much the appearance of the rim 

 of a large pair of spectacles. I strongly suspect 

 that the dirty yellow white of the belly and 

 thighs has originally been pure white : and that 



