SOUTH AMERICA. 285 

 found in Demerara, This bird is of a greenish brown Fourth 



Journey. 



before it acquires its rich plumage. 



Amongst the bare roots of the trees, alongside of this Procures a 



« 1 . 11 . 1 . large species 



part oi the river, a red crab sometnnes makes its ap- ofOwi. 

 pearance, as you are passing up and down. It is preyed 

 upon by a large species of Owl, which I Avas fortunate 

 enough to procure. Its head, back, wings, and tail, are 

 of so dark a brown, as almost to appear black. The 

 breast is of a somewhat lighter brown. The belly and 

 thighs are of a dirty yellow white. The feathers round 

 the eyes are of the same dark brown as the rest of the 

 body ; and then comes a circle of white, which has much 

 the appearance of the rim of a large pair of spectacles. 

 I strongly suspect that the dirty yellow white of the belly 

 and thighs has originally been pure white ; and that it 

 has come to its present colour by means of the bird dart- 

 ing down upon its prey in the mud. But this is mere 

 conjecture. 



Here too, close to the river, I frequently saw the bird Tiie Sun- 



bird. 



called Sun-bird by the English colonists, and Tirana by 

 the Spaniards, in the Oroonoque. It is very elegant ; and 

 in its outward appearance approaches near to the heron 

 tribe ; still it does not live upon fish. Flies and insects 

 are its food ; and it takes them just as the heron takes 

 fish, by approaching near, and then striking with its beak 

 at its prey so quick, that it has no chance to escape. The 

 beautiful mixture of grey, yellow, green, black, white. 



