15ö 
Cause oe Intekkupted Tail Eeatheks, 
a heavy bundle, to which the family Melasto maceae } su numerously met 
with here, contributed a good deal.f 
542. Amongst the fauna in the provision lields, 1 was particularly 
struck with small groups of birds which in the whole of their appear- 
ance bore considerable resemblance to our magpies, except that they 
were much smaller. The Indians called them Ibiburu. At first I 
look them for Betyllus leverianus , but discovered on closer observation 
that they differed from leverianus not only in size but also in the design 
of their plumage : perhaps they are a new species. /They are extremely 
shy : on which account they are especially rare along the coast. 
The Pionites momota, the Hutu-hutu, which shuns the open pro- 
vision fields as much as the edge of the forests, sounded its 
melancholy but sharply articulate note already before sunrise from 
out of the dark shadows of its favourite resting-place, where 
it is anything but shy : it usually perches on the lowest branches 
of the trees, and as it sounds its “Hutu-hutu” slowly moves its long tail 
up and down. 
543. I must correct the observation already repeatedly made that the 
Pionites after it becomes full-grown, bites off the barbs from both sides 
of the tpiills of the longest tail-feathers an inch from the extremity, the 
deficiency being due to another cause. The bird, as is known, is very fond 
of choosing for its nest a small depression on the side of a hill or some 
other rising ground. During the brooding season, when male and female 
regularly relieve one another, they veer round on the eggs very frequently 
whereby the pinnules of both the long tail-feathers projecting beyond 
the edges of the nest become considerably frayed and crumpled. The 
Hutu-hutu carefully attending to the pruning of its feathers tries now, 
on leaving the nest after hatching, to trim its plumage again, and as it 
does this several times a day, the feathers that the edges of the nest 
spared, become sacrificed to its love of order. The surest indication of 
a young bird that has not yet sat on its eggs is the still undamaged plumes 
of both the long tail-feathers. The Grcx melampyga and Tetrao guian- 
ensis fell just as frequently as the Pionites to the arrows of the Indians, 
who can imitate the bird’s call of “Durra-quarra” to perfection and so 
decoy it within certain reach of their weapons. Directly it greets the 
break of dawn, the Indian imitates it in reply, picks up bow and arrow 
or gun in the meantime, hurries off, and within a few minutes returns 
t — The prominent species were : Mieonia, (Melastoma Aubl.) alata DeC., M. racemosa DeC., M 
longifolia DeC., M. purpurascens DeC., M. laevigata DeC., M. attenuata DeC M, elata DeC., 
Segraea sessiliflora DeC., Henriettea stiecosa DeC., Clidemia agrestis Don. Distributed among 
the low bush there grew particularly : M"rodia lungiflora Sw., Mabea Pirini Aubl., Mqjeta 
guianensis, JTirtella racemosa Lam., Tubernaemontana odoratq Vahl., Cephaelis involucrata Willd., 
Eugenia and several species of Cordia. Among the legumes I would mention : Lisyanthus 
grandiflorus Aubl., Convolvolus guianensis Aubl., Monnieria trifolia Linn., Coutubea spicata 
Aubl., C. minor Humb. , various Spermacoce , Phytolacca , Psychotria , Xiphidium, and Solanum , 
while Ricinus communis of really giant size covered the fields of the provision grounds, but 1 
have not been able to learn whether the Indians are aware of the properties of its oil : in 
Georgetown it is known, and the negroes accordingly cultivate the bush in plenty. The virgiu 
forest surrounding the provision fields consisted for the most part of Ropourea guianensis 
Aubl. , of the beautiful blooming Guettarda, Isertia coccinea Vahl. Cuhaea panic alata Willd., 
Vochysia guianensis Aubl., Macrolobium sphaerocarpum Willd., Myristica selnfera Sw,, Siphonia 
elastica Pers. ,and Trip laris americane Linn,, — all of them trees which had not yet appeared 
in the lower reaches of the stream, r 
