148 J. Delacour — Notes of a Bird-lover in Tropical America


Nothing pleases me better than sitting quietly among my birds

watching their ways and gaining their confidence. The dullest walks

are made interesting now that I am always looking out for berries,

flowering grass, or insects for them, and they have gained me many

pleasant friends among “ birdy ” people. Though sometimes an

anxiety they are always a delight, and I am indebted to them for many

happy hours.


September, 1922.


NOTES OF A BIRD-LOVER IN TROPICAL


AMERICA

By J. Delacour

[Continued from p. 131.)


The journey down the Rio Portuguesa and the Apure, in a launch,

is wonderful. The river flows between two banks of mouldering clay,

whose height, at this season, of low waters, is about 15 feet. Animal

life, on these rivers, is most plentiful, and this part of the world is

probably one of the best from the ornithological point of view. Not

only birds does one see by thousands, but they belong to especially

attractive groups, and, having been but little disturbed until now,

they are tame and can be watched easily. One wonders that so few

naturalists have been there before.


On the sand banks huge crocodiles are to be seen everywhere, and

also birds. Here, hundreds of Black Vultures and Caracaras feeding

on the carcase of a reptile ; there are also various Egrets and other

Herons, thousands of Terns and Cormorants. On most of the trees

overhanging the Avater Hoatzins are sitting or moving along the

branches, while enormous Iguanas come down to drink. On other trees

families of Red Howler Monkeys watch us fearlessly ; in the north of

Venezuela and Guiana one hears them but seldom gets a glimpse of

them, so Avild and timid are they. Every mile or so along the banks

one sees a pair of Orinoco Geese ; never have I seen them fly or sAA r im,

and only once I noticed three together ; they don’t seem to congregate

in flocks.


The low trees on the banks are inhabited by innumerable Ardeidce :



