318 TlMEHRl. 
impenetrable leafy mass, parroquets were busy feeding, 
chattering and quarrelling, dropping showers of half- 
eaten fruit to the ground to be presently devoured by the 
acouris (Dasyprotta aguti) which abound all through 
the country. At intervals too, sometimes near, some- 
times afar, the deep knell-like note of the bell-bird, or 
campanero (Chasmorhynchus carunculatus) , echoed over 
the sea of tree-tops or down the leafy aisles of the forest, 
more noticeable perhaps in the hottest part of the day, 
when the voices of other birds were for the most part 
hushed. 
The river itself glided slowly by, every day becoming 
less, and bore on its dull greyish-white surface flecks of 
foam or leaves and dead flowers, disturbed now and then by 
the leap of some great fish darting after its prey ; while 
swallows and other birds characteristic of the falls swept 
along to and fro in rapid flight above it. The great King- 
fisher or Saxacalli (Ceryle torquata) is common here ; 
and near Saparowa Island, half a day's journey from the 
junction of the river with the Mazaruni, the beautiful 
sun bird (Eurypyga helias) is frequently seen, easily 
recognised by its plaintive call and the splendour of its 
open wings during flight. Butterflies too were very 
numerous, the commonest a splendid insect of a brilliant 
metallic blue (Morpho), measuring nearly 5 inches 
across its open wings, and resembling in its slow wavering 
flight a piece of bright blue satin carried along by some 
gentle breeze. In the evening, frogs of every variety of 
note, from the deep " Kronk, Kronk" of the bull frog to 
the shrill but musical cry of his brother batrachian of 
the trees, made the bush resound ; beetles buzzed drowsily 
through the darkening air; fire flies and fire beetles 
