y a glossy blue. Whilst roving through the forest, ever
and anon you see individuals of the wren species busy amongst the fallen
leaves, or seeking insects at the roots of the trees.

Here, too, you find six or seven species of small birds, whose backs
appear to be overloaded with silky plumage. One of these, with a
chestnut breast, smoke-coloured back, tail red, white feathers like horns
on his head, and white narrow-pointed feathers under the jaw, feeds
entirely upon ants. When a nest of large, light brown ants emigrates,
one following the other in meandering lines above a mile long, you see
this bird watching them, and every now and then picking them up. When
they disappear he is seen no more: perhaps this is the only kind of ant
he is fond of; when these ants are stirring, you are sure to find him
near them. You cannot well mistake the ant after you have once been in
its company, for its sting is very severe, and you can hardly shoot the
bird, and pick it up, without having five or six upon you.

Parrots and paroquets are very numerous here, and of many different
kinds. You will know when they are near you in the forest, not only by
the noise they make, but also by the fruits and seeds which they let fall
while they are feeding.

The hia-hia parrot, called in England the "parrot of the sun," is very
remarkable: he can erect at pleasure a fine radiated circle of tartan
feathers quite round the back of his head from jaw to jaw. The fore-part
of his head is white: his back, tail, and wings green; and his breast and
belly tartan.

Superior in size and beauty to every parrot of South America, the ara
will force you to take your eyes from the rest of animated nature and
gaze at him: his commanding strength, the flaming scarlet of his body,
the lovely variety of red, yellow, blue, and green in his wings, the
extraordinary length of his scarlet and blue tail seem all to join and
demand for him the title of "emperor of all the parrots." He is scarce
in Demerara till you reach the confines of the Macoushi country; there he
is in vast abundance; he mostly feeds on trees of the palm species. When
the coucourite-trees have ripe fruit on them, they are covered with this
magnificent parrot: he is not shy or wary; you may take your blow-pipe
and quiver of poisoned arrows, and kill more than you are able to carry
back to your hut. They are very vociferous, and, like the common
parrots, rise up in bodies towards sunset,