170 
TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. 
and often not returning till nine or ten at night, yet he 
never brought me more than two at a time, generally 
only one, and sometimes none. 
The only other birds found in the islands were the 
beautiful and rare little bristle-tailed manakin, and two 
species of curas sow-bird. On the mainland, the white 
bell-bird was found on the loftiest trees of the forest, 
almost out of gunshot. Three were brought me, much 
disfigured with blood, having been shot at four or five 
times each before they fell. The beautiful trumpeter 
(Fsopliia crepitans), a difierent species from that found 
at Para, was plentiful here. A rare little toucan {Fte- 
roglossus Azarce), and a few parrots, hawks, and Brazilian 
partridges, were the only other birds we met with. 
Insects were by no means abundant, there being few 
paths in the woods in which to hunt for them or to cause 
them to accumulate together ; for I have invariably found 
that in an open path through the forest the chequered 
light and shade causes a variety of plants to spring up 
and flowers to blow, which in their turn attract a great 
variety of insects. An open pathway seems to have 
similar attractions for many kinds of insects to what it 
has for ourselves. The great blue butterflies, and many 
smaller ones, will course along it for miles, and if driven 
into the forest, will generally soon return to it again. 
The gleams of sunshine and the free current of air 
attract some; others seek the blossoms which there 
abound; while every particle of animal matter in the 
pathway is sure to be visited by a number of different 
species : so that upon the number and extent of the 
paths and roads which traverse the forest will depend in 
