453 



embark, and take our station in the island of 

 Apurito, near it's junction with the Oroonoko. 

 That portion of the island belongs to the pro- 

 vince of Caraccas, while the right banks of the 

 Apure and the Oroonoko make a part, one of 

 the province of Varinas, the other of Spanish 

 Guayana. We found no trees to which we could 

 suspend our hammocks, and were obliged to 

 sleep on ox hides spread on the ground. The 

 boats are too narrow, and too full of zancudoes, 

 t to pass the night in them. 



In the place where we had landed our instru- 

 ments, the banks being steep, we saw new proofs 

 of what I have elsewhere called the indolence of 

 the gallinaceous birds of the tropics. The cu- 

 rassoas and cashew birds * have the habit of 

 going down several times a day to the river to 

 allay their thirst. They drink a great deal, and 

 at short intervals. A great number of these birds 

 had joined themselves near our station to a 

 flock of parraka pheasants. They had great 

 difficulty in climbing up the steep banks; they 

 attempted it several times without using their 

 wings. We drove them before us, as you would 

 drive sheep. The zamuro vultures also raise 

 themselves from the ground with great reluc- 

 tance. 



I had a good observat ion after midnight of the 



* The latter (erax pauxi) is less common than the former. 



