J. Delacour—Notes of a Bird-lover in Tropical America 165


one would think that it is produced by a bird of much larger size than

is actually the case, but one ends in discovering an ashy-grey bird, the

size of a Thrush, of quite ordinary proportions in every way, sitting im¬

moveable on a high branch. This bird, perching in a normal position,

gives forth the double coo, and then throwing back its head on to the

back, distends its throat, and emits its astonishing call; two whistles,

strident and sharp, and then one, more drawn out and descending.

It can be heard at about 3 miles off.


But it is really impossible to attempt to describe the charm of the

Guiana birds ; neither would a whole volume suffice to do so . . .


Another great attraction in the virgin forest is the abundance of

the great blue Butterflies, the Morphos. Nowhere in the Guianas

or Venezuela are they so numerous as on the banks of the Maroni on

the French side ; many species of the family ( Hecubas , Menelaus, etc.)

swarm in the woods, where they continually flit along the open trails.

These wonderful insects descend with gentle flight, falling like sheets

of light paper from the tree tops to the ground, the dazzling blue of their

wings shining with magnificent metallic gloss. They always seem to

fly from a height downwards. Measuring about 8 inches across the

wings, they are seen against the dark-green background of the tropical

foliage, and present a richness of colouring which no one who has not

been out of Europe can imagine. A thousand other species of Butter¬

flies of smaller size, less gaudy but very beautiful, inhabit the forests,

whilst the gorgeous Urania, green and brilliant blue barred with black,

is extraordinarily common in St. Laurent, even over the river itself.


Yet the jungle is not all joy ; the mosquitoes are innumerable

and irritating, as well as carriers of fever. The Vampire Bats, Blood¬

suckers, abound ; and one has to shelter oneself under the mosquito

curtains in a hammock when one is sleeping out at night under the

stars. But there the danger of the forest ends, for attacks from

Jaguars and other carnivores need not be feared, any more than

poisonous Snakes which avoid human beings, as well as other stinging

creatures, such as Scorpions, Spiders, Centipedes, which one seldom

sees and which run away as much as possible. I never had the least

feeling that any of these would ever attack or bite me, and I never

took any precautions to avoid them.



