110 TlMEHRI. 



action of water, and covered by a black or coppery- 

 brown layer, rise at all points, the effect being heightened 

 considerably by the contrast with numerous masses of 

 golden yellow sand. Such, at any rate, is the bright 

 picture afforded in the dry season ; and while, in the 

 rainy season, the rush of water at the rapids must be 

 markedly more grand, the general variety of scenery 

 must be correspondingly monotonous, where the water 

 stretches, nearly unbroken, from the dense forest line on 

 the one bank to that on the other. 



In the neighbourhood of the rapids, animai life was 

 not all obtrusive, though, as touching birds and insects, 

 fairly varied in its character. Of birds, blue and white 

 cranes (Ardea a?a?/and A. egretta) were frequently seen 

 singly by the waterside, together with the bronzed ibis 

 or bush curry-curry (Harpiprion cayennensis) and the 

 muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) , which more usually 

 rose from among the matted roots where there was a 

 muddy deposit. On the overhanging boughs or bare stems, 

 species of kingfishers (Ceryle) perched, and occasionally 

 also aducklar or darter (Plotus anhinga) , twisting its long 

 and snake-like neck in all directions, but never awaiting 

 our near approach — a marked contrast to the white- 

 backed or swallow- winged barbet (Chelidoptera tene- 

 brosa), which rested at ease on the topmost twigs of the 

 dead trees scattered along the banks. The large black 

 bunya (Ostinops decumanus) and the yellow-backed 

 mocking bird (Cassicus persicus) flew from island to 

 island in numbers, uttering their hoarse cries, or jumped 

 about restlessly among the high trees, where their long 

 and pendent nests swung from the ends of the branches ; 

 while among the little islands by the rapids, the hand- 



