328



Lord Brabourne,



And let it be said, that on that occasion during thirteen days

continual riding not once was the snapping of “the Toucan’s beak ”

heard. He was not even seen. Probably they were all on their

vernal migration to the Island of Ceylon.


As a comfort to those, who fear the rapid and total

extinction of all Egrets, it may be stated, that on the morning after

arriving at Ciudad Bolivar (the centre of the export trade in

Egrets, and from which during the preceding year plumes to the

value of £49,705 had been exported) over 60 of the larger kind

(Egretta Egretta ) was seen flying eastward over the town of Soledad

on the opposite bank ; to the Laguna Mamo, a swamp about 40

miles away, as the native boatman, who seemed to be in their con¬

fidence, said. The same man pointed out a rookery of Wood Ibis

about a mile up stream from Soledad. There were several scores

which could be seen with glasses from Ciudad Bolivar. He said that

he knew of no other rookery of the kind, to which the birds

habitually resorted for many miles either up stream or down.


To the Ornithologist the first shot fired in a bird-thronged

marsh must ever present a novelty, similar to that of the lifting of

the curtain on a transformation scene to the expectant child. In

general scenic effect there can be little variation the world through :

but to the bird-watcher there will be abundant difference of detail

in each district ; differences perhaps more of sound than of sight,

since the confused scurryings of the startled wildfowl, make

the singling out of individuals difficult, unless very well marked.


To those acquainted with the Wealdon country, imagine the

North and South Downs ; imagine all the angles, breaks and irregu¬

larities immeasurably distorted and exaggerated. Here and there on

the sky-line are copses ; replace these by jagged snow-peaks ; in

the middle of the plain is the rush-margined Lake Junin or Chinch-

aycocha about 22 miles long by 7 wide, the largest of the Andean

Lakes except Titicaca and Poopoo. Here and there grow coarse,

strong, scrubby grasses, but the pasture is generally beaten

fiat by the bleak wind and hail or else cropped close by flocks of

Llamas and weedy sheep. The Amazon conjures up visions of

tropical heat and steaming damp. Yet the Amazon is there.

Inasmuch as the Mantare, one of its countless tributaries of a



