Phosphorescent Tungi. 
401 
oblique one aud settled on those in the neighbourhood of the carcass. 
The five vultures simultaneoush- executed this strange and veiy inter- 
esting movement Avliich Avas also imitated by some of the Cathartes.. 
The muscular strength of their wings is indeed worthy of admira- 
tion. Were a stone to he throAvn from such a height, it might be a 
question which would reach the ground first, the bird or the stone. 
1,009. Another and formerly very extensive but now almost aban- 
doned timber-yard is to lie seen at Lucky Spot where the stream agafin, 
comes out of the south. It is on the left bank, at a distance of about 
75 miles, including river-bends, from Georgetown, and has a particu- 
lar interest from the fact that in 1800 timber was loaded here by a 
108-ton brig: a ])i'oof tluit the stream, even as far as this, is navigable 
for larger vessels. Above Lucky Spot the small Coreta Creek opens 
into the Demerara on its left bank. A few miles further the river 
almost exactly repeats its previous peculiar bends while the depth 
varies from 7 to 10 feet. On the left bank the land rises pr'etty well 
180 feet and is covered with the rankest of vegetation. The glorious 
greenheart unquestionably constitutes the greatest oniajment of the 
forest: with other species of Laurus, of which a large portion of the 
woodl^ind covering the rise consists, it filled the entire atmosphei-c 
with the lovely aromatic fragrance of its blossoms. The temperature 
•was almost unbearable to-day: we pitched our camp at the mouth of 
the Wainibisi which flows in on the right l)ank. While the Indians 
were busy cleaning up a place for us to sling our hammocks and cut- 
ting down the bush and rope-vines litarT*ing the way with their cutlasses, 
I noticed the previously-mentioned onion-like smell as strongly as if 
the people were working in an onion-field: on investigation I found it 
to be due to the stem and leaves of a liana (Sects 57,.398) but which 
unfortunately shewed neither fruit nor blossoms just then. I have already 
drawn attention to the fact that not only the Hokko fowls (Powis) 
themselves, but also their flesh possess a peculiar onion-like smell and 
taste at certain definite times of the year: without doubt they must 
then be eating the fruits, seeds, or blossoms of this plant. Next night 
my attention was drawn to a greenish blue ^phosphorescent light which, 
as T discovered in the imorning. streamed from a number of small fungi 
that were growing on decayed leaves and di'ied timber: unfortunately 
the specimens T collected were lost before they could be identified. 
Gardner in Iiis Brazilian travels also mentions a strongly phosphores- 
cent mushroom, 'Affarirns Gardneri Berk: it might be that the two are 
identical. A heavy stoi-m A\nth plenty of rain woke me out of my 
dreams and T spent an extremely unpleasant night, because we were 
without any protection from the rain. Morning had already dawned 
l>efore we were on our way again, and on tlie left bank passed the 
mouth of the Hil>l)eba. 
1,010. Now and again one of the large and pretty but shy herons, 
'Ardea Cocoi Linn., would get a fright when, with retracted neck, and 
perched all by itself on the banks or upon a tree, it would stretcb it out 
farther and farther as soon as it noticed us in the distance, and then, on 
our close approach, take to flight, uttering a peculiar rasping note as it 
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