26 TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. \Ju7ie, 
rare insects were also obtained, and the gigantic blue 
Morphos frequently passed us, but their undulating flight 
baffled all our efforts at capturing them. Of quadrupeds 
we saw none, and of birds but few, though we heard 
enough of the latter to assure us that they were not 
altogether wanting. We are inclined to think that the 
general statement, that the birds of the tropics have a 
deficiency of song proportionate to their brilliancy of 
plumage, requires to be modified. Many of the brilliant 
birds of the tropics belong to families or groups which 
have no song ; but our most brilliantly coloured birds, 
as the goldfinch and canary, are not the less musical, 
and there are many beautiful little birds here which are 
equally so. We heard notes resembling those of the 
blackbird and the robin, and one bird gave forth three 
or four sweet plaintive tones that particularly attracted 
our attention; while many have peculiar cries, in which 
words may easily be traced by the fanciful, and which in 
the stillness of the forest have a very pleasing effect. 
On reaching the mills we found it was one o’clock, 
the interesting objects on the road having caused us to 
linger for six hours on a distance of scarcely twelve miles. 
We were kindly welcomed by Mr. Leavens, who soon 
set before us substantial fare. After dinner we strolled 
round the premises, and saw for the first time toucans 
and paroquets in their native haunts. They frequent 
certain wild fruit-trees, and Mr. Leavens has many 
specimens which he has shot, and preserved in a manner 
seldom equalled. There are three mills — a saw-mill and 
two for cleaning rice. One rice-mill is driven by steam, 
the other two by water-power, which is obtained by 
