Chap. V. THE PAPA-UIEA. 335 
The bustling crowd loses no time, and although moving 
in concert, each bird is occupied, on its own account, in 
searching bark or leaf or twig; the barbets visiting every 
clayey nest of termites on the trees which lie in the line 
of march. In a few minutes the host is gone, and the 
forest path remains deserted and silent as before. I 
became, in course of time, so accustomed to this habit 
of birds in the woods near Ega, that I could generally 
find the flock of associated marauders whenever I 
wanted it. There appeared to be only one of these 
flocks in each small district ; and, as it traversed chiefly 
a limited tract of woods of second growth, I used to 
try different paths until I came up with it. 
The Indians have noticed these miscellaneous huntinof 
parties of birds, but appear not to have observed that 
they are occupied in searching for insects. They have 
supplied their want of knowledge, in the usual way 
of half-civilised people, by a theory which has de- 
generated into a myth, to the effect that the onward 
moving bands are led by a little grey bird, called the 
Papa-uira, which fascinates all the rest, and leads them 
a weary dance through the thickets. There is certainly 
some appearance of truth in this explanation ; for some- 
times stray birds, encountered in the line of march, are 
seen to be drawn into the throng, and purely frugivorous 
birds are now and then found mixed up with the rest, as 
though led away by some will-o'-the-wisp. The native 
women, even the white and half-caste inhabitants of the 
towns, attach a superstitious value to the skin and 
feathers of the Papa-uira, believing that if they keep 
them in their clothes' chest, the relics will have the 
% 
