The Headwaters of the Paraguay 125 



but whether they had themselves built these nests, or had 

 taken old nests and added to or modified them, we could 

 not tell. There was so much of interest all along the 

 banks that we were continually longing to stop and spend 

 days where we were. Mixed flocks of scores of cor- 

 morants and darters covered certain trees, both at sunset 

 and after sunrise. Although there was no deep forest, 

 merely belts or fringes of trees along the river, or in 

 patches back of it, we frequently saw monkeys in this 

 riverine tree-fringe — ^active common monkeys and black 

 howlers of more leisurely gait. We saw caymans and 

 capybaras sitting socially near one another on the sand- 

 banks. At night we heard the calling of large flights of 

 tree-ducks. These were now the most common of all 

 the ducks, although there were many muscovy ducks also. 

 The evenings were pleasant and not hot, as we sat on the 

 forward deck; there was a waxing moon. The scream- 

 ers were among the most noticeable birds. They were 

 noisy; they perched on the very tops of the trees, not 

 down among the branches ; and they were not shy. They 

 should be carefully protected by law, for they readily 

 become tame, and then come familiarly round the houses. 

 From the steamer we now and then saw beautiful orchids 

 in the trees on the river bank. 



One afternoon we stopped at the home buildings or 

 headquarters of one of the great outlying ranches of the 

 Brazil Land and Cattle Company, the Farquahar syndi- 

 cate, under the management of Murdo Mackenzie — ^than 

 whom we have in the United States no better citizen 

 or more competent cattleman. On this ranch there are 

 some seventy thousand head of stock. We were warmly 



