the naturalist on the river amazons-第87部分

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　were　employed。　I　thought；　at　first；　they　were　Nyctipitheci；　but　they　proved　to　be　Jupuras；　for　the　owner　of　the　house　early　next　morning　caught　a　young　one；　and　gave　it　to　me。　I　kept　this　as　a　pet　animal　for　several　weeks；　feeding　it　on　bananas　and　mandioca…meal　mixed　with　treacle。　It　became　tame　in　a　very　short　time；　allowing　itself　to　be　caressed；　but　making　a　distinction　in　the　degree　of　confidence　it　showed　between　myself　and　strangers。　My　pet　was　unfortunately　killed　by　a　neighbour's　dog；　which　entered　the　room　where　it　was　kept。　The　animal　is　so　difficult　to　obtain　　alive；　its　place　of　retreat　in　the　daytime　not　being　known　to　the　natives；　that　I　was　unable　to　procure　a　second　living　specimen。

BatsThe　only　other　mammals　that　I　shall　mention　are　the　bats；　which　exist　in　very　considerable　numbers　and　variety　in　the　forest；　as　well　as　in　the　buildings　of　the　villages。　Many　small　and　curious　species；　living　in　the　woods；　conceal　themselves　by　day　under　the　broad　leaf…blades　of　Heliconiae　and　other　plants　which　grow　in　shady　places；　others　cling　to　the　trunks　of　trees。　While　walking　through　the　forest　in　the　daytime；　especially　along　gloomy　ravines；　one　is　almost　sure　to　startle　bats　from　their　sleeping…places；　and　at　night　they　are　often　seen　in　great　numbers　flitting　about　the　trees　on　the　shady　margins　of　narrow　channels。　I　captured　altogether；　without　giving　especial　attention　to　bats；　sixteen　different　species　at　Ega。

The　Vampire　Bat。The　little　grey　blood…sucking　Phyllostoma；　mentioned　in　a　former　chapter　as　found　in　my　chamber　at　Caripi；　was　not　uncommon　at　Ega；　where　everyone　believes　it　to　visit　sleepers　and　bleed　them　in　the　night。　But　the　vampire　was　here　by　far　the　most　abundant　of　the　family　of　leaf…nosed　bats。　It　is　the　largest　of　all　the　South　American　species；　measuring　twenty…eight　inches　in　expanse　of　wing。　Nothing　in　animal　physiognomy　can　be　more　hideous　than　the　countenance　of　this　creature　when　viewed　from　the　front；　the　large；　leathery　ears　standing　out　from　the　sides　and　top　of　the　head；　the　erect　spear…shaped　appendage　on　the　tip　of　the　nose；　the　grin　and　the　glistening　black　eye；　all　combining　to　make　up　a　figure　that　reminds　one　of　some　mocking　imp　of　fable。　No　wonder　that　imaginative　people　have　inferred　diabolical　instincts　on　the　part　of　so　ugly　an　animal。　The　vampire；　however；　is　the　most　harmless　of　all　bats；　and　its　inoffensive　character　is　well　known　to　residents　on　the　banks　of　the　Amazons。　I　found　two　distinct　species　of　it；　one　having　the　fur　of　a　blackish　colour；　the　other　of　a　ruddy　hue；　and　ascertained　that　both　feed　chiefly　on　fruits。　The　church　at　Ega　was　the　headquarters　of　both　kinds；　I　used　to　see　them；　as　I　sat　at　my　door　during　the　short　evening　twilights；　trooping　forth　by　scores　from　a　large　open　window　at　the　back　of　the　altar；　twittering　cheerfully　as　they　sped　off　to　the　borders　of　the　forest。　They　sometimes　enter　houses；　the　first　time　I　saw　one　in　my　chamber；　wheeling　heavily　round　and　round；　I　mistook　it　for　a　pigeon；　thinking　that　a　tame　one　had　escaped　from　the　premises　of　one　of　my　neighbours。　I　opened　the　stomachs　of　several　of　these　bats；　and　found　them　to　contain　a　mass　of　pulp　and　seeds　of　fruits；　mingled　with　a　few　remains　of　insects。　The　natives　say　they　devour　ripe　cajus　and　guavas　on　trees　in　the　gardens；　but　on　comparing　the　seeds　taken　from　their　stomachs　with　those　of　all　cultivated　trees　at　Ega；　I　found　they　were　unlike　any　of　them；　it　is　therefore；　probable　that　they　generally　resort　to　the　forest　to　feed；　coming　to　the　village　in　the　morning　to　sleep；　because　they　find　it　more　secure　from　animals　of　prey　than　their　natural　abides　in　the　woods。

Birds。I　have　already　had　occasion　to　mention　several　of　the　more　interesting　birds　found　in　the　Ega　district。　The　first　thing　that　would　strike　a　newcomer　in　the　forests　of　the　Upper　Amazons　would　be　the　general　scarcity　of　birds；　indeed；　it　often　happened　that　I　did　not　meet　with　a　single　bird　during　a　whole　day's　ramble　in　the　richest　and　most　varied　parts　of　the　woods。　Yet　the　country　is　tenanted　by　many　hundred　species；　many　of　which　are；　in　reality；　abundant；　and　some　of　them　conspicuous　from　their　brilliant　plumage。　The　cause　of　their　apparent　rarity　is　to　be　sought　in　the　sameness　and　density　of　the　thousand　miles　of　forest　which　constitute　their　dwelling…place。　The　birds　of　the　country　are　gregarious；　at　least　during　the　season　when　they　are　most　readily　found；　but　the　frugivorous　kinds　are　to　be　met　with　only　when　certain　wild　fruits　are　ripe；　and　to　know　the　exact　localities　of　the　trees　requires　months　of　experience。　It　would　not　be　supposed　that　the　insectivorous　birds　are　also　gregarious；　but　they　are　so　numbers　of　distinct　species；　belonging　to　many　different　families；　joining　together　in　the　chase　or　search　of　food。　The　proceedings　of　these　associated　bands　of　insect…hunters　are　not　a　little　curious；　and　merit　a　few　remarks。

While　hunting　along　the　narrow　pathways　that　are　made　through　the　forest　in　the　neighbourhood　of　houses　and　villages；　one　may　pass　several　days　without　seeing　many　birds；　but　now　and　then　the　surrounding　bushes　and　trees　appear　suddenly　to　swarm　with　them。　There　are　scores；　probably　hundreds　of　birds；　all　moving　about　with　the　greatest　activitywoodpeckers　and　Dendrocolaptidae　（from　species　no　larger　than　a　sparrow　to　others　the　size　of　a　crow）　running　up　the　tree　trunks；　tanagers；　ant…thrushes；　hummingbirds；　fly…catchers；　and　barbets　flitting　about　the　leaves　and　lower　branches。　The　bustling　crowd　loses　no　time；　and　although　moving　in　concert；　each　bird　is　occupied；　on　its　own　account；　in　searching　bark　or　leaf　or　twig；　the　barbets　visit　every　clayey　nest　of　termites　on　the　trees　which　lie　in　the　line　of　march。　In　a　few　minutes　the　host　is　gone；　and　the　forest　path　remains　deserted　and　silent　as　before。　I　became；　in　course　of　time；　so　accustomed　to　this　habit　of　birds　in　the　woods　near　Ega；　that　I　could　generally　find　the　flock　of　associated　marauders　whenever　I　wanted　it。　There　appeared　to　be　only　one　of　these　flocks　in　each　small　district；　and；　as　it　traversed　chiefly　a　limited　tract　of　woods　of　second　growth；　I　used　to　try　different　paths　until　I　came　up　with　it。

The　Indians　have　noticed　these　miscellaneous　hunting　parties　of　birds；　but　appear　not　to　have　observed　that　they　are　occupied　in　searching　for　insects。　They　have　supplied　their　want　of　knowledge；　in　the　usual　way　of　half…civilised　people；　by　a　theory　which　has　degenerated　into　a　myth；　to　the　effect　that　the　onward　moving　bands　are　led　by　a　little　grey　bird；　called　the　Uira…para；　which　fascinates　all　the　rest；　and　leads　them　a　weary　dance　through　the　thickets。　There　is　certainly　some　appearance　of　truth　in　this　explanation；　for　sometimes　stray　birds　encountered　in　the　line　of　march；　are　seen　to　be　drawn　into　the　throng；　and　purely　frugivorous　birds　are　now　and　then　found　mixed　up　with　the　rest；　as　though　led　away　by　some　will…o'…the…wisp。　The　native　women；　even　the　white　and　half…caste　inhabitants　of　the　towns；　attach　a　superstitious　value　to　the　skin　and　feathers　of　the　Uira…para；　believing　that　if　they　keep　them　in　their　clothes'　chest；　the　relics　will　have　the　effect　of　attracting　for　the　happy　possessors　a　train　of　lovers　and　followers。　These　birds　are　consequently　in　great　demand　in　some　places；　the　hunters　selling　them　at　a　high　price　to　the　foolish　girls；　who　preserve　the　bodies　by　drying　flesh　and　feathers　together　in　the　sun。　I　could　never　get　a　sight　of　this　famous　little　bird　in　the　forest。　I　once　employed　Indians　to　obtain　specimens　for　me；　but；　after　the　same　man　（who　was　a　noted　woodsman）　brought　me；　at　different　times；　three　distinct　species　of　birds　as　the　Uira…para；　I　gave　up　the　story　as　a　piece　of　humbug。　The　simplest　explanation　appears　to　be　this：　the　birds　associate　in　flocks　from　the　instinct　of　self…preservation　in　order　to　be　a　less　easy　prey　to　hawks；　snakes；　and　other　enemies　than　they　would　be　if　feeding　alone。

ToucansCuvier's　ToucanOf　this　family　of　birds；　so　conspicuous　from　the　great　size　and　light　structure　of　their　beaks；　and　so　characteristic　of　tropical　American　forests；　five　species　inhabit　the　woods　of　Ega。　The　commonest　is　Cuvier's　Toucan；　a　large　bird；　distinguished　from　its　nearest　relatives　by　the　feathers　at　the　bottom　of　the　back　being　of　a　saffron　hue　instead　of　red。　It　is　found　more　or　less　numerously　throughout　the　year；　as　it　breeds　in　the　neighbourhood；　laying　its　eggs　in　holes　of　trees；　at　a　great　height　from　the　ground。　During　most　months　of　the　year；　it　is　met　with　in　single　individuals　or　small　flocks；　and　the　birds　are　then　very　wary。　Sometimes　one　of　these　little　bands　of　four　or　five　is　seen　perched；　for　hours　together；　among　the　topmost　branches　of　high　trees；　giving　vent　to　their　remarkably　loud；　shrill；　yelping　cries；　one　bird；　mounted　higher　than　the　rest；　acting；　apparently；　as　leader　of　the　inharmonious　chorus；　but　two　of　them　are　often　heard　yelping　alternately；　and　in　different　notes。　These　cries　have　a　vague　resemblance　to　the　syllables　Tocano；　Tocano；　and　hence；　the　Indian　name　of　this　genus　of　birds。　At　these　times　it　is　difficult　to　get　a　shot　at　Toucans；　for　their　senses　are　so　sharpened　that　they　descry　the　hunter　before　he　gets　near　the　tree　on　which　they　are　perched；　although　he　may　be　half…concealed　among　the　underwood；　150　feet　below　them。　They　stretch　their　necks　downwards　to　look　beneath；　and　on　espying　the　least　movement　among　the　foliage；　fly　off　to　the　more　inaccessible　parts　of　the　forest。　Solitary　Toucans　are　sometimes　met　with　at　the　same　season；　hopping　silently　up　and　down　the　larger　boughs；　and　peering　into　crevices　of　the　tree…trunks。　They　moult　in　the　months　from　March　to　June；　some　individuals　earlier；　others　later。　This　season　of　enforced　quiet　being　passed；　they　make　their　appearance　suddenly　in　the　dry　forest；　near　Ega；　in　large　flocks；　probably　assemblages　of　birds　gathered　together　from　the　neighbouring　Ygapo　forests；　which　are　then　flooded　and　cold。　The　birds　have　now　become　exceedingly　tame；　and　the　troops　travel　with　heavy　laborious　flight　from　bough　to　bough　among　the　lower　trees。　They　thus　become　an　easy　prey　to　hunters；　and　everyone　at　Ega　who　can　get　a　gun　of　any　sort　and　a　few　charges　of　powder　and　shot；　or　a　blow…pipe；