of an Orchid Hunter. 197 



grey rock, and some were still more surprised when 

 they were required to sign their names or put their 

 mark to a document to certify to what they saw. 

 The legend of the Santo Domingo is that in one of 

 the higher parts of the river a vein of gold was known 

 to the Spaniards, called by the name of " El Rosario," 

 or the Rosary, and the natives believe to this day 

 that their Spanish captors used to cut pure gold out of 

 the rock with chisels. They also believe that at the 

 time of the first revolution the vein was covered 

 up purposely, and so lost. It is very rarely anyone 

 penetrates into this forest, but when he does all the 

 natives are on the alert, and the principal conversa- 

 tion is as to who shall find " El Rosario." 



At this altitude food had become considerably 

 more scarce than in the valley, and we were very 

 pleased to be able to shoot an occasional wild turkey, 

 the noble-looking bird known by the name of the 

 Crested Curassovv ( Crax alector). The picture repre- 

 sents the female, the male bird being altogether of a 

 glossy black. I have found this species in nearly 

 every part of Colombia, except on the high hills, feed- 

 ing on fruit in the tops of the trees ; it very rarely 

 comes to the ' Ground. I have shot male birds 

 which weighed as much as twelve pounds. The 

 flesh, when cooked, is tender, being nearly as good 

 as that of the domesticated turkey. The beautiful 



