THE PAPA-UIRA 



459 



barbels flitting about the leaves and lower branches. 

 The bustling crowd loses no time, and although moving 

 in concert, each bird is occupied, on its own account, in 

 searching bark or leaf or twig ; the barbets visiting every 

 clayey nest of termites on the trees which lie in the line 

 of march. In a few minutes the host is gone, and the 

 forest path remains deserted and silent as before. I 

 became, in course of time, so accustomed to this habit 

 of birds in the woods near Ega, that I could generally 

 find the flock of associated marauders whenever I wanted 

 it. There appeared to be only one of these flocks in each 

 small district ; and, as it traversed chiefly a limited tract 

 of woods of second growth, I used to try different paths 

 until I came up with it. 



The Indians have noticed these miscellaneous hunting 

 parties of birds, but appear not to have observed that 

 they are occupied in searching for insects. They have 

 supplied their want of knowledge, in the usual way of 

 half-civilized people, by a theory which has degenerated 

 into a myth, to the effect that the onward moving bands 

 are led by a little gray bird, called the Papa-uira, which 

 fascinates all the rest, and leads them a weary dance 

 through the thickets. There is certainly some appear- 

 ance of truth in this explanation ; for sometimes stray 

 birds, encountered in the line of march, are seen to be 

 drawn into the throng, and purely frugivorous birds are 

 now and then found mixed up with the rest, as though 

 led away by some will-o'-the-wisp. The native women, 

 even the white and half-caste inhabitants of the towns, 

 attach a superstitious value to the skin and feathers of 

 the Papa-uira, believing that if they keep them in their 

 clothes' chest, the relics will have the effect of attracting 

 for the happy possessors a train of lovers and followers. 

 These birds are consequently in great demand in some 

 places, the hunters selling them at a high price to the 

 foolish girls, who preserve the bodies by drying flesh and 

 feathers together in the sun. I could never get a sight 

 of this famous little bird in the forest. I once employed 

 Indians to obtain specimens for me ; but, after the same 

 man (who was a noted woodsman) brought me, at different 

 times, three distinct species of birds as the Papa-uira, I 



icteronotus and Capito Amazoninus mingled with these 

 bands. 



