236 



Bird- Lore 



heads and red neck-pouches arc visible a lung distance away. As our launch 

 puffs along, Jafanas^ fly up in pairs with loud cackling notes; their dark chocolate 

 and pale yellow colors flashing conspicuously. Tiny Comorants," in groups of 

 from four to ten, spatter ahead of us now and then. Snakebirds'^ are less numerous, 

 but far from uncommon. One of the most abundant larger birds is the Cream- 

 headed Hawk,'* to which small birds pay no attention, as it feeds only on insects 

 and mollusks. 



From everv bush along the hank, there flv one or more of the small Guiana 



BUNGALOW ON ISLAND IN THE SAVANNA. THE AUTHOR'S HEADQUARTERS 



Green Herons,^ leaving their nests, which are built close to the surface of the 

 water. Much more wary, and never allowing us to approach closely, are 

 the beautiful Great Cocoi Herons.'' About eleven o'clock, we see in the dis- 

 tance what appear to be great patches of burnt reeds. But, as we draw near 

 to thesC) we are astonished to find that they arc i)halanxcs of Ducks. Nearer 

 and nearer we approach, and at last those nearest us take to flight, passing 

 back over the heads of the others. Then hundreds begin to rise at once, 

 until, for fifty yards or so, there is a literal wave of birds rising on each 

 side of the river, flying upward and backward in two vast unbroken sheets. 



^I'lirra jacana 

 *Phalacrocorax vigua 



'Anhinga anhinga 

 ^Busarellus nigricollis 



• Bulorides striata 

 ^Ardea cocoi 



