57 



the freshwater canal called the " Lamaha," which was mtended to 

 supply the city of Georgetown with water. They prey particularly 

 on the Hassar {Callichthys, Schomb.). This curious fish, which 

 builds a nest in or under which it lays its eggs, is found in abundance 

 in the small pools and water-holes of the savannahs. It is a very do- 

 mestic fish. The female, when the time for spawning arrives, collects 

 a number of small pieces of stick, and places them together, across 

 one another ; it then, descending beneath this structure, which is 

 about a foot in diameter, exspumates a quantity of viscid matter, 

 which, beuig mingled with air, causes the nest to float. In this viscid 

 exspumation the eggs are laid, and both the male and female remain 

 near the nest, making furious strokes at any intruder ; and as they 

 are provided with a very sharp bony first ray to the dorsal fin, if a 

 wound be inflicted it is generally a severe one. The form of the beak 

 of the Fish-Hawk is admirably adapted for separating the plates of 

 mail in which the Hassar is enveloped. It is when the water in the 

 pools and water-holes is reduced in the first part of the dry season to 

 soft mud, that flocks of these birds are seen on the savannahs, feast- 

 ing on Hassar. 



The Smaller Awl-beaked Fish-Hawk. 



Habits the same as the former. From the habits of this group of 

 birds of scouring the savannahs in search of prey, the length of their 

 wings, and the strength of their claws, they approach near to the 

 Harriers. 



The Scissors-tailed Kite. Nauclerus furcatus. 



This is a very graceful bird, and is generally seen soaring, with 

 widely-forked tail, above the lower parts of creeks, or over rivers when 

 the water is fresh. They are, when perched, generally in companies 

 of from five to six. They strike at small birds, creepers and such 

 like, when feeding. I do not think that they strike at birds on the 

 wing, and I never saw the Nauclerus pounce on a fish, although they 

 appear to prefer to soar over the broad parts of creeks and fresh rivers. 

 In fact, they are scarcely ever seen elsewhere. The Camouni creek, 

 a few hours' sail up the Demerary river, is a favourite haunt of the 

 Scissors- tail. Here they may be seen by the now rare traveller in 

 this once thickly populated and very beautiful creek, either soaring 

 high up in the brilliant sunshine, with a gentle undulatory motion, 

 moving the head from side to side, and alternately opening and shut- 

 ting the fork of the tail, whence their name of " Scissors-tail " ; or 

 perched in a small company upon some high creek-side tree, attracted 

 probably by a flock of creepers or manakins. In coming down the 

 Camouni one morning with a pleasant company of sportsmen — we 

 had bivouacked near the source of the river the night before — I was 

 much struck with the remarkable gracefulness and beauty of the Nau- 

 clerus. A company of six had selected a high tree close to the water's 

 edge, at a wide and graceful bend. The approach of our boat alarmed 

 them, and they flew up and around the tree as if inclined to settle 

 again after we had passed on ; but on one of our party firing, the 



