The Macaw Dlmming-Bihd. 
339 
bushes around the blossoms of which beautiful hummiug-birds {Trochilus 
2)ella) were hovering. The Curibs eull this luvely bird, on aeeount of 
its two long tail-feathers, Kara-bimiti, i.e., MacaAV humming-bird. It ia 
indisputably the largest aud most brilliant species met with in Guiana. 
One finds it in the greatest number along the l)anks of the rivers, 
particularly on small shaded creeks. The dear little creature is busiest 
at sunrise when it then without intermission flutters around the blossoms 
moist with dew. As soon as the sun's rays become too hot it hies into 
the deep shadows where it remains settled until its enemy once more 
approaches the western horizon. Up to where salt water reaches in the 
rivers one can search in vain for specimens. The little female is devoid 
of the brilliant metallic colouring as well as of the two long tail-feathers. 
The nest, which I frequently found on the Pomeroon, is usually built in a 
small fork on little branches bending over the surface of the water, or 
Ai the vines hanging down from them. Externally the nest has the 
colour of tanned leather and resembles, as regards its material, i)repared 
spunk. But so as not to let either the eggs or young ones tumble out 
when the breeze shakes the slender twigs, the far-sighted parents provide 
the nest with a wide brim which is bent inwards. The young males only 
get their beautiful feathering and the two long black tail-feathers by the 
end of tlie second year: in their ''early" days they resemble the females. 
821. Towards midday we i^eached the mouth of the Surnru which 
joins the Pomeroon from the westward. The mouth of the tributary is 
just as wide as the bed of the main stream. The hitherto noiseless 
silence and lonesomeness of the forest wns siiddrMily broken by a lond 
noise. A regular sqnadron of corials with Caribs was burrvinc to the 
Mission, to stay over for the morrow's service. A glorious BmiJiixia 
with dark red blossoms that T had not seen before, covered the extreme 
tops of the foliage trees with its lovclv flowers. So also I camp acvoss 
for the first time that TUincea, the Sloanea nitida G. Don., so beautiful 
not only on account of its conformation (hahitus) but also for its larcje 
glossy leaves. The ti-ee is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful 
ornaments of the tropics. 
S22. Some miles farther up we got to the mouth of tlie Makaiku 
which also floAvs into the Pomeroon from the West. The latter had 
already lost much of its former width ; on the other hand, the vegetation 
on its ever increasingly rising banks was getting more rank and the 
trunks of the Mora, Lccytlih and Laiiriif^ becoming bigger. By the 
afternoon we had reached Akui»autari, the Carili settlement. The 
village lay on the summit of a hill, which rose at a little distance from the 
waterside. A number of small corials that were made fast at the landing 
Bhewed that guests must already have arrived ahead of us, and the 
certainty that these could only have gathered here for one of those 
dissolute bacchanalian orgies, determined me to continue my journey 
rather than be a witness of those scenes where I had watched men sinking 
below the level of brute beasts. I had hardly expressed my intention 
before it met with the liveliest opposition from my companions. I had 
to give way. lWc entered the village along the beaten track, where the. 
V 2. ' 
