THE


Avicultural Magazine


BEING THE JOURNAL OF

THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY

FOR THE STUDY OF

FOREIGN & BRITISH BIRDS

IN FREEDOM & CAPTIVITY



Third Series. —Vol. XIII.—No. 11 .—All rights reserved. NOVEMBER, 1922.



NOTES OF A BIRD-LOVER IN TROPICAL


AMERICA


By J. Delacour


(Continued from p. 157.)


The fauna of the virgin forest is very rich, but it is not always

easy to observe it on account of the depth and luxury of the foliage.

The mammals and birds have a thousand ways of concealing themselves

at the least sound which causes suspicion, so that one must take

precautions and exercise patience in order not to awaken their fear.

On the other hand, the birds of the forest are essentially wanderers,

certain species frequenting one district at a particular season, where

they remain for some weeks, and then disappear to be replaced by others.

These local migrations are caused by the abundance of fruits or insects,

and also depend upon the breeding season. Furthermore, one does

not often find the same birds in the same spot for more than a day

or two at a time. Yet numerous species, widely differing, gather

together in huge flocks and wander through the jungle.


All this does not facilitate their observation and capture. My bird-

catchers were wonderfully well up in their knowledge of the birds of

Guiana ; they know the seasons when they frequent certain districts,

and even certain trees, and also the species one would meet with at

the different times of the year. They have given names, often very

appropriate, to those species which particularly attract their attention?

and I cannot resist the pleasure of quoting some of these quaint

appellations ; quaint, that is to say, in French, but unfortunately they

for the most part lose much of their meaning in English,



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