524 



manners. I have published these observations 

 in another work, and in order to avoid treating 

 twice on the same subject, I shall here confine 

 myself to the most succinct observations, adding 

 the notes I have since found scattered among 

 my journals. 



The gallitoes, or rock manakins, that are sold 

 at Pararuma, in pretty little cages made of the 

 footstalks of palm-leaves, are infinitely more 

 rare on the banks of the Oroonoko, and in the 

 North and West of Equinoxial America, than 

 in French Guyana. They have hitherto been 

 found only near the mission of Encaramada, and 

 in the Raudales or cataracts of May pu res. I 

 say expressly in the cataracts, because these 

 birds choose the hollows of the little granitic 

 rocks, that cross the Oroonoko, and form such 

 numerous cascades, for their habitual dwelling. 

 We sometimes saw them appear in the morning 

 in the midst of the foam of the river, calling their 

 females, and fighting in the manner of our cocks, 

 folding up the doable moveable crest, that de- 

 corates the crown of their head. As the Indians 

 very rarely take the full-grown gallitoes, and the 

 males only are valued in Europe, which from the 

 third year display a beautiful saffron colour, 

 purchasers should be on their guard not to con- 

 found young females with young males. Both 

 are of an olive-brown ; but the polio, or young 

 male, is distinguishable at the earliest age, by 



