76 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



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Manners Varieties Crested nmnakin. 



with companies of small birds of a different kind. 

 They are observed to assemble in this manner in 

 the morning, whifch seems to inspire them with 

 joy, to judge by their agreeable warbling at 

 such times. This expression of delight is evi- 

 dently produced by the refreshing coolness of 

 the morning;, for they are silent during the 

 day, and endeavour to screen themselves from 

 the noon tide heat by separating, and retiring 

 singly into the most shady parts of the forests, 

 where they remain till the follov/ing morning. 

 They, in general, prefer moist and cool situa- 

 tions to such as are dry and hot ; yet, they never 

 frequent either marshes or the banks of waters. 

 The name of manakin was given to these birds 

 by the Dutch colonists of Surinam. Naturalists 

 have discovered six different species of this tribe. 

 That which is the largest, and is called the crested 

 manakin, or, by Edwards, the bine-blacked mana- 

 kin, is about four inches and a half long, and is near- 

 ly as large as a sparrow. The upper part of the head 

 is covered with feathers of a beautiful red colour; 

 these are longer than the others; the bird can erect 

 them at pleasure, and they produce the appear- 

 ance of a crest ; the back and the upper wing-co- 

 verts are of a charming blue ; the rest of the plu- 

 mage is of a velvet black. The feet are red, the 

 bill black, and the iris of the eye of a beautiful 

 sapphire* 



