A GOLD MINE IN THE WILDERNESS. 209 



second colony would be in a flourishing state in another two 

 weeks. 



These Red-backed Cassiques '■'- together with their near 

 relatives the Yellow-backs'" are most interesting birds, and 

 a careful study of the growth and daily routine of a colony 

 would yield most valuable results. They seem to trust more 

 to the presence of man as a protection against enemies than 

 to the guardianship of wasps, but both methods are to be 

 found. We traced these birds all the way up the Barama, 

 and from what we could learn, none were found higher up, 

 the colony at Hoorie Mine being the farthest outpost. 



NIGHT LIFE. 



Owing to our brief stay and the difficulty of exploration in 

 this hilly and densely underwooded country, we gained little 

 thorough knowledge of the vertebrate fauna hereabouts. 

 The phase of tropical life which, during the week of our stay, 

 was most striking, was the wonderful host of insects attracted 

 by the electric lights in the evening. The bungalow contained 

 four large rooms, two on each side of a wide central passage, 

 extending through the house — a kind of interior veranda, 

 open front and back. This was the dining room, where 

 every day we feasted upon delicious dishes of peccary, tina- 

 mou, curassow and paca, or " bush-hog," "maam," "powie" 

 and "labba," as we learned to call them in the vernacular. 



Here during the evening meal, after the lights were turned 

 on, came legions of the most curious, the most beautiful 

 winged creatures imaginable. We all turned entomologists 

 and never tired of admiring the wonderful colors, and bizarre 

 shapes which night after night were revealed in never-ending 

 array. The first night Crandall sent up an excited call of 

 " Get a vial! Get a vial ! " and this became our vesper slogan. 

 From the yard, or veranda, or room, or kitchen hut, would 

 come the call from some of our party, " Get a vial! " and the 



