142 



TlMEHRl. 



level it appeared, and how small the great boulders and 

 the wide chasms seemed, over which we had so carefully 

 and slowly made our way to the pool. Distance, indeed, 

 lent enchantment to the view ; for, the day before, it 

 had been vastly otherwise ! 



Overhead, the white-throated swifts (Chastura 

 jsonarisj, with loud and ceaseless twittering, circled back- 

 wards and forwards in dense flights high up out of 

 range, dividing at times into smaller flights, parts of 

 which darted at intervals down the face of the falls or 

 into the valley, while the others wheeled overhead, and 

 circled as before. 



Search was made over and across the savannah, close 

 to the falls, and along the track to the landing, for desir- 

 able specimens ; but the region seemed almost desti- 

 tute, the few forms observed being all common and 

 widely distributed. Among these were a small barbet 

 (Bucco tamatia), the old witch (Crotophaga anij, the 

 palm-sackie (Tanagra palmarum)^ the silver-beak or 

 cashew-sackie, (Rhamphoccelus jacapa) one of the com- 

 mon species of kiskadie or qu'est-ce-qu'il dit (Tyrannus 

 melancholicus) , the black-breasted finch (Oryzoborus 

 torridus), and one of the red-breasted grass-birds (Sper- 

 mophila minutaj. Among the butterflies were common 

 species of Morpho, Pierz's, Callidryas, Phosbis, Pierella 

 and Junonia. A few lizards were heard amongst the grass, 

 but we were unable to procure them. No snakes were 

 observed in our short excursion, but during his botanical 

 examination of this savannah in September and Octo- 

 ber, 1880, Mr. Jenman, Superintendent of the Botanic 

 Gardens, met with two species, one about twelve feet 

 in length, said to be poisonous, and called " sarepoo" 



