306 
TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. 
from the egg, there was little danger of their escaping to 
the forest. We had nine pretty little black-headed par- 
rots, which every night would go of their own accord into 
a basket prepared for them to sleep in. 
From what I had seen on this river, there is no place 
equal to it for procuring a fine collection of live birds and 
animals ; and this, together with the desire to see more 
of a country so interesting and so completely unknown, 
induced me, after mature deliberation, to give up for the 
present my intended journey to the Andes, and to substi- 
tute another voyage up the river Uaupes, at least to the 
Jurupari (Devil) cataract, the ''ultima Thule ” of most of 
the traders, and about a* month’s voyage up from its 
mouth. Several traders who had arrived at Sao Jero- 
nymo on the way up, as well as the more intelligent In- 
dians, assured me that in the upper districts there are 
many birds and animals not met with below. But what 
above all attracted me, was the information that a white 
species of the celebrated umbrella-chatterer was to be 
found there. The information on this point from several| 
parties was so positive, that, though much inclined to 
doubt the existence of such a bird at all, I could not 
rest satisfied without one more trial, as, even if I did not 
find it, I had little doubt of obtaining many new species 
to reward me. The worst of it was, that I must go to 
Barra and return — a voyage of fifteen hundred miles — 
Avhich was very disagreeable. But there was no remedy, 
for I had a considerable lot of miscellaneous collections 
here and at Guia, as well as what I left at Barra, which 
must be packed and sent off to England, or they might 
be destroyed by damp and insects. Besides which I 
