112 TlMEHRI. 



soft footing in the mud ; while the prickly palms afforded 

 ample protection to the large black bunya birds and the 

 common spurwings (Parra jacana) which took refuge 

 among them. 



Though disappointed at Gluck Island, we were fortunate 

 in finding the lily growing and flowering luxuriantly, but 

 densely crowded, with recurved leaves, in a smaller 

 pond in Cutuabanaboo Island, a few miles above the 

 mouth of the Tipuri river. Quite by chance I came 

 upon the pond, while wandering in the forest with my 

 gun, seeking specimens, as was my habit wherever we 

 camped ; and it seems to me by no means unlikely that 

 the other large islands possess corresponding ponds in 

 which the lily may be growing. 



The pond at Cutuabanaboo, which is a deep one, 

 with steep sides, is about fifty yards from the water side, 

 and is surrounded with tall forest trees, and, here and 

 there, clumps of Souari palms. Owing to its secluded 

 nature, it is the haunt of numerous birds, such as mus- 

 covy ducks, bitterns (Tigrisoma), herons (Ardea), spur- 

 wings, killacows (Aramides) , etc., the cries of several 

 of which, more particularly the killacows, blend- 

 ing with the hoarse " cronk, cronk, " of various tree- 

 frogs, woke the echoes of the place after sunset. The 

 pi-pi-yo or greenheart birds (Lathria cinerea) swarmed in 

 the surrounding forest, and kept up an almost deafening 

 noise when disturbed by the report of the gun. As 

 indicated by the size and the perfect freshness of the 

 track, an immense jaguar (Felts onca) must have 

 been disturbed at its evening drink bv our approach, 

 and it seemed likely that the pi-pi-yo birds had 

 been excited by the ascent of the brute into one of 



