118 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



colored heads screamed and fluttered in the leafy branches 

 high overhead. Where ferns and brush grew thickest, near 

 the numerous ravines, flocks of yellow manakins (Manacus) 

 sputtered and whirred in the semidarkness; they proved to 

 be an undescribed form. 



Mammals, too, were not lacking. Of chief interest were 

 giant black weasels with white throat patches (Tayra). 

 These are truly dreadful creatures — at least to the animals 

 on which they feed. They are of powerful build, the neck 

 muscles being particularly well-developed, and I can pic- 

 ture them as a dangerous antagonist even to a deer or a 

 peccary. 



The smallest of ant-eaters {Cycloterus didactylus) was 

 also found in this region. This httle animal, while not rare, 

 perhaps, is seldom seen on account of its diminutive size 

 and arboreal habits. It is of a beautiful golden color, and 

 the fur is so fine and silky that could it be obtained in 

 quantities sufficient for commercial purposes it would per- 

 haps rival in value the highest priced fur in use to-day. 

 The creature lives in the tree-tops and is diurnal in habits. 

 It moves along the branches with great rapidity, either in 

 an upright position or inverted like a sloth, the prehensile 

 tail being used constantly. Ants form the food, and as 

 these ascend even the highest trees, the little ant-eater has 

 a never-failing and abundant supply; they are gathered up 

 hurriedly as the little creature moves quickly along. 



One day an army of carnivorous ants invaded our quar- 

 ters while we were busily occupied preparing the specimens 

 collected during the morning. The first intimation we had 

 of the arrival of the ravaging host was when scores of cock- 

 roaches suddenly appeared and frantically ran up the walls 

 of the room. Not long after, several centipedes eight inches 

 long joined the fleeing cockroaches, and before long a num- 

 ber of scorpions followed in their wake, hotly pursued by 

 the multitude of ants. There was nothing for us to do but 

 follow the lead of the panic-stricken insects, so we hurriedly 

 transferred our collections to a zone of safety outdoors. 



