xl ITINERARY, 



j'ellow [A. ararauna) is very frequently to be met with also on the 

 coast, as along the Hoobaboo creek, not many miles away from George- 

 town ; while on the Mahaicony creek I have on difi'ererit occasions 

 seen them' crossing the creek by the score for quite a long time in the 

 morning, for their feeding grounds in the savannahs. The special 

 range of all three species appears to reach, however, only close to the 

 vicinity of Roraima; still it would be very peculiar if they did not 

 actually occur there. 



Probably the explanation of many of the peculiarities in the distri- 

 bution lies in the connotation of the term itself. For what is really 

 meant by the Roraima district ? If it were to be confined to the 

 actual base and slopes of the mountain, certainly the bird-life would 

 be considerably limited. But as a fact the district around extends for 

 a considerable distance at much the same general level, rising frequently 

 into higher irregular ridges ; and the grass-covered areas are broken 

 by forest clumps, especially along the water-courses. Over the whole 

 area at their convenience, or as they met with success, the Indian 

 collectors with their guns and blow-pipes would range from day to 

 day, unless they were especially sent up the slopes; and the results 

 would be samples from many directions where they were easily obtain- 

 able. Numbers of species would be likely to remain unrepresented, 

 even when seen, either because they would be perceived in flight, or 

 situated where they offered no chance of close approach, for no Indian 

 would dieam of attempting shots on the mere chance of hitting — the 

 only justification for the shot being the certainty of the result. Many 

 specimens are thus at times ruined bej'ond chance of preservation by 

 the nearness of the shot, when the men have slowly crept as close as 

 possible to the object; and if ordinary cartridges with the breech- 

 loader be given them, there is every likelihood of small specimens 

 being blown to pieces. With the blowpipes the conditions are more 

 favourable, but specimens on the wing are out of the question, and 

 equally so distant stationary objects. Where a traveller would risk a 

 difficult chance shot in either case, a miss is met with derisive laughter, 

 by these people, the attempt being either regarded as a foolish one or 

 is put in the same category as a miss at their usual close quarters. 



In going out for game the huntsmen never attempted the slopes of 

 the high mountains, but made for the open country, over which thtiy 

 would range for considerable distances. The game birds, such as the 

 large maam {Tinamus), the small maams (Crypturus), the maroodi 

 (Penelope), and the hannaqua (Ortalis), whichhave so wide a range to 

 the coast, would hardly be got from the cold slopes, but at the base 

 level around, where, too, other widely ranging forms, such as the 

 splendid pigeon (C speciosa) and the Muscovy duck, would most likely 

 be got. Considering the occurrence of this last species, while one 

 might not be surprised at the absence of the widely distributed coast 

 "vicissi" duck {Dendrocygna discolor), it is strange that the charac- 

 teristic savannah " vicissi " {D. viduaia), of the interior highlands has 

 not been obtained. 



It is noteworthy that while none of the vultures, caracaras, or 

 nrubitingas are in the Roraima lists, some of them are always to be 

 seen in the track of the fires, which are set to the di'y grass of the 



