342 TiMEHRI. 



maroodie and bill-birds, were fairly common, and a few 

 were procured. Parrots, macaws, bell-birds and rarer 

 species, were heard in the high-tree tops, but it was 

 extremely seldom that a shot could be got at them. 

 Once a wide column of the yackman ants was encoun- 

 tered, and considerable difficulty met with in avoiding 

 them. Crowds of the small ant-thrushes, bush-shrikes and 

 creepers, like Rhopoterpe and Chiromachasris, Den- 

 drornis etc., were pursuing, chirping loudly as they 

 followed their course, but in the darkness of the close 

 undergrowth it was not easy to see them. Several 

 hemipterous insefts were met with, and a small Dia6ior, 

 destitute of cross stripe or spots. 



Bush ticks, large and small, but more especially the 

 latter, were extremely plentiful, and were a continual 

 pest ; though few things in my experience equalled an 

 attack from the species of Polistes that constru6ls the 

 pear-shaped, grey nests (with their aperture below), 

 so frequently brought to town for sale. While crossing a 

 creek on a tacooba, a swarm of these wasps suddenly 

 rose around me and settled on face, neck and hands, and 

 sent me rushing recklessly through the bush, minus gun 

 and compasses which I had thrown aside in sudden 

 agony. The stings were Uke the sudden application of 

 so many red-hot irons, and the effe6l lasted for hours, 

 though to a less degree. 



We had started cutting a track to the Corentyne 

 from the point where the river curved away from 

 the East, but after two or three miles this was given 

 up, since we met with nothing in the way to re- 

 pay us for the time and labour. The track had led 

 along the river side for about a mile, beyond the second 



I 



