THE BIRDS OF THE TROPICAL FORESTS, 
21 
Like the ocean, the forest has its voices, now swelling 
into uproar, now subsiding into silence; but while the 
wind and the breaker are the only masicians of the sea, 
the woods resound with animal voices. 
In general, the morning hours are the loudest ; for the 
creatures that delight in daylight, though not more 
numerous than the nocturnal species, have generally a 
louder voice. Their full concert, however, does not begin 
immediately after sunrise; for they are mostly so chilled 
by the colJer night, that they need to be warmed for 
some time before awakening to the complete use of their 
faculties. Fii-st, single tones ring from the higher tree- 
crowns, and gradually thousands of voices join in various 
modulation — now approaching, now melting into dis- 
tance. Pre-eminent in loudness is the roar of the howl- 
ing monkeys, thoagh without being able fully to stifle the 
discordant cries and chattering of the noisy paiTots. Ikit 
the sun rapidly ascends towards the zenith, and one 
musician after the other grows mute and seeks the cool 
forest shade, until finally the whole morning conceit 
ce-ases. Where the rays of light break through the 
foUage and play upon the underwood, or on the damp 
ground, gaudy butterflies flutter about, beetles of metallic 
brilliancy warm themselves, and richly-robed or dark- 
vested snakes creep forth; for 
these indolent creatures are also 
fond of basking in the sun. 
As the heat grows more in- 
tense, the stillness of the forest 
is only interrupted at intervals 
by single animal voices. Some- 
times it is the note of the ivory- 
billed woodpecker, resounding 
like the distant axe of the '^^i^^-^"-^^ wooopeckeiu 
forester, or the wail of the sloth breaking forth from the 
dense thicket. Sometimes human voices seem to issue from 
the deptli of the forest, and the astonished huntsman 
