456 Walter Goodfellow—Some Reminiscences of a Collector


species are now imported, but at one time not so long ago, they were

rare over here. Some years back I told a lady member of the Society

about their charms, and later when she was able to get one, she wrote

me “ they are all you said they were, and much more From a beauty

point of view I am not sure which is my favourite ; perhaps the White -

backed kind (P. leucoptera), although the Napo or Golden-backed (P.

napersis) is a lovely bird when in good, full plumage. This was the first

species I ever had, and does not seem to be imported. During a long

canoe journey on my way down to the Amazon I never hesitated to

give them their liberty every evening when we camped. They retired

to roost in the nearest tree, if there was one. It is not generally realized

that these birds are quite at home in water, and can swim perfectly.

Over here they require a warm or sheltered place to sleep in during

the winter, or their feet suffer. This seems to be their weak point

and the chief cause of death, but can easily be avoided ; and they

should not be allowed to walk too much in the winter time. They

follow like a dog. One of my Golden-backs often went out with me

shooting, keeping close at heel along the Indian tracks. I should like

to see a pair of these given their liberty on the Fellows’ Tea Lawn

at the Zoo, during the summer time. What an attraction they would

be, for few birds become so attached to man as these. It would

be easy to shut them up in the Eastern aviaries at night, but I fancy

there is a tree on the lawn they would prefer. All species on the Upper

Amazon are called Yacami, and on the Lower, Trompeteros.


I left Bolivia without a regret, and I cannot say that of any other

country I have been to, even including sinister New Guinea with its

poisonous climate to which I have returned again and again. Usually

unpleasant things are forgotten, and only the pleasant ones remem¬

bered, and in nearly all other countries certain exceptionally pleasant

camps stand out, and I long to revisit them again. Some I have, but

not so in Bolivia.


Usually Amazonian forests are very silent, and one may wonder

where are all the animals and birds one has read so much about. It

has to be remembered how vast is their feeding ground, and all game

moves about with the fruiting season. Find some such district and

the number of birds, monkeys, and other animals there will astonish



