114 TiMEHRI. 



little squirrels, of the common South American species 

 (Sciurus wstuans), slid lightning-like down the branches 

 of the trees by the waterside, as though in a great hurry 

 to place themselves out of sight and out of range. In 

 the forest, as already mentioned, species of deer (Cari- 

 acus and Coassus) and peccary (Dicotyles) were obtain- 

 able, though our lazy and wellnigh worthless Indian 

 huntsmen, who had been recommended to us by the 

 schoolmaster at the mission station at Eneyudah, came 

 invariably empty-handed from the chase. The common 

 little grey river bats (Rhynchony6leris naso) , which are 

 always to be seen during the day suspended like fungous 

 growths from the under sides of the stumps and thick 

 branches overhanging the water, flitted on our near ap- 

 proach from shelter to shelter; while at night, other 

 species, and among them the blood-sucking bat or 

 so-called Vampire (Desmodus or Phyllostoma) , which 

 now and then shewed himself by an operation on 

 somebody's toe to be the true " colony doctor," as he 

 is commonly termed, wheeled backwards and forwards 

 about the camp. 



The birds were, on the whole, considerably more 

 abundant, though, of many of them, the cry alone 

 gave indication of their presence. The rare yellow and 

 red-headed vulture (Cathartes uruhitinga) circled high 

 overhead, or rose, at times, from his feast on some putres- 

 cent matter by the waterside. Various species of hawks, 

 (Elanoides, Hypotriorchis, Accipiter, etc) at times 

 crossed the river, or perched on the high dead branches 

 along the banks. The great green-winged, blue and red 

 macaw (Ara chloroptera)^ sometimes, and various species 

 of parrots, constantly, crossed shrieking hoarsely over- 



