200 The American Naturalist. [March, 
mangroves, and secured three bittern and a few other water- 
birds. Some large snipe were to be seen there, active little 
sandpipers ran in great numbers along the hot sands, which 
enclosed the lagoon. I recall shooting in the savannahs a 
curious little goat-sucker; and I saw there a great tree covered 
with the large hanging nests of the yellow-tail. I also shot a 
species of night-heron, which the natives call “ the carpenter :” 
it is one of the few birds they take the trouble to shoot for eat- 
ing. All around the shores were large flocks of active fly- 
catchers, called the “wees bird,’ and a small falcon is often 
seen perched on the tall pine trees, or winging its rapid flight 
across the savannah in chase of the birds on which it preys. 
One evening I paddled for some distance up a creek, to shoot 
something for supper. Here I met for the first time the beau- 
tiful heron called “ Marana ” ; it was sitting quietly ; the glossy, 
deep green leaves of a shrub forming a good background to its 
graceful form, and it appeared very tame. Evidently the bird 
creation of this remote creek had not often been disturbed by 
human beings. Further up it swarms with bitterns, boat-bills, 
darters, and other water-birds. AsI paddled along, the bushy 
trees appeared to be alive with the odd-looking  boat-bills, 
fluttering and flying out in all directions, seemingly convulsed 
with laughter. 
“There are two kinds of curassow; the more common 1$ 
white, with a black belly; the other, known as the Queen 
Curassow, is checked all over in much the same manner as the 
tiger-bittern. It is a handsome bird when seen in the woods, 
and erects its elegant crest gracefully as it utters its deep note. 
A pair of the pretty russet-brown “jacana,” with lemon-colored 
wing feathers, kept flying in front of me as I proceeded up the 
creek, alighting from time to time on the floating grass which 
covered the water near the bank ; owing to the immense length 
of their toes, they are able to support themselves on this. i 
also met with several mud-hens, which are much esteemed in 
this section for food by the creoles. l 
“ Darters bred high up the creek; their downy young bemg 
generally seen in pairs in a nest formed of sticks, usually placed 
on a branch overhanging the water. They dropped out as I 
