THE MAGDALENA RIVER. 



57 



and scarlet [Ara aracanga), others blue above and yellow beneath 

 [A. ararauna). This latter kind was the more abundant. They 

 fly heavily, like our crows, and usually by twos. Their long- tails are 

 very conspicuous. Their harsh, discordant cries can be heard as far 

 as they can be seen, and were usually the first noises that we heard 

 in the early mornings. We saw quantities of wild ducks of several 

 kinds. Very often, when the flocks were near the forest, they flew 

 up into the trees when first alarmed. The largest kind, black with 

 white wing-spots, is called by the natives pato real," royal duck. 



CAPYBAKA (HYDKOCHtKRUS CAPYBARA). 

 (From "Riverside Natural History," by permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.) 



and is our muscovy [Cairina moschata). Another species, with 

 brown bodies and red beaks, stood in rows like soldiers along the 

 sand-bars [Dendrocyfjna sjJ.). I saw three kinds of kingfishers, all 

 in general appearance similar to our belted kingfisher. The largest, 

 which was larger than ours, was chestnut-red on the entire under 



