or moth passes by, it darts at it, and returns to
the branch it had just left. It seems an indolent, sedentary bird,
shunning the society of all others in the forest. It never visits the
plantations, but is found at all times of the year in the woods. There
are four species of jacamar in Demerara; they are all beautiful; the
largest, rich and superb in the extreme. Its plumage is of so fine a
changing blue and golden green, that it may be ranked with the choicest
of the humming birds. Nature has denied it a song, but given a costly
garment in lieu of it. The smallest species of jacamar is very common in
the dry savannas. The second size, all golden green on the back, must be
looked for in the wallaba forest. The third is found throughout the
whole extent of these wilds; and the fourth, which is the largest,
frequents the interior, where you begin to perceive stones in the ground.

When you have penetrated far into Macoushia, you hear the pretty songster
called troupiale pour forth a variety of sweet and plaintive notes. This
is the bird which the Portuguese call the nightingale of Guiana; its
predominant colours are rich orange and shining black, arrayed to great
advantage; his delicate and well-shaped frame seems unable to bear
captivity. The Indians sometimes bring down troupiales to Stabroek, but
in a few months they languish and die in a cage. They soon become very
familiar; and if you allow them the liberty of the house, they live
longer than in a cage, and appear in better spirits; but, when you least
expect it, they drop down and die in epilepsy.

Smaller in size, and of colour not so rich and somewhat differently
arranged, another species of troupiale sings melodiously in Demerara.
The woodcutter is particularly favoured by him; for while the hen is
sitting on her nest, built in the roof of the woodcutter's house, he
sings for hours together close by: he prefers the forests to the
cultivated parts.

You would not grudge to stop for a few minutes, as you are walking in the
plantations, to observe a third species of troupiale: his wings, tail,
and throat are black; all the rest of the body is a bright yellow. There
is something very sweet and plaintive in his song, though much shorter
than that of the troupiale in the interior.

A fourth species goes in flocks from place to place in the cultivated
parts at the time the Indian corn is ripe; he is all black, except the
head and throat, which are yello