1848 .] 
MONKEYS. 
41 
accompanied us, to show us the best feeding-trees. At 
eight we returned to breakfast, and then again started 
off in search of insects and plants till dinner-time. After 
dinner we generally had another walk for an hour or two ; 
and the rest of the evening was occupied in preparing 
and drying our captures, and in conversation. Some- 
times we would start down the igaripe in the montaria, 
not returning till late in the afternoon ; but it was in my 
early expeditions into the forest that I had my curiosity 
most gratified by the sight of many strange birds and 
other animals. Toucans and parrots were abundant, and 
the splendid blue and purple chatterers were also some- 
times met with. Humming-birds would dart by us, and 
disappear in the depths of the forest, and woodpeckers 
and creepers of various sizes and colours were running 
up the trunks and along the branches. The little red- 
headed and puff-throated manakins were also seen, and 
heard making a loud clapping noise with their wings, 
which it seemed hardly possible for so small a bird to 
produce. 
But to me the greatest treat was making my first ac- 
quaintance with the monkeys. One morning, when walk- 
ing alone in the forest, I heard a rustling of the leaves and 
branches, as if a man were walking quickly among them, 
and expected every minute to see some Indian hunter 
make his appearance, when all at once the sounds ap- 
peared to be in the branches above, and turning up my 
eyes there, I saw a large monkey looking down at me, 
and seeming as much astonished as I was myself. I 
should have liked to have had a good look at him, but 
he thought it safer to retreat. The next day, being 
