We soon found that bird-trapping in the tropics is a task beset by many difficulties. The extreme heat between the hours of ten and four o’clock make even the “tackiest” lime nearly as thin as water, and hardly capable of holding even the diminutive “doctor-bird” as the natives call the Hummingbirds. The call-birds, which are confined in very small cages, or cribs, cannot endure the high temperature under these conditions, and soon succumb if left out in the sun. Operations, therefore, must be confined to the few hours immediately following sunrise, and preceding sunset. Another feature, very trying to the bird-catcher, is the habit which most of the birds have of going singly or in pairs. A few of the Ictcrine birds, such as the Yellow-headed Blackbird,[154] Cowbird,[153] Little Boat-tailed Grackle,[160] and most of the Cassiques, feed usually in flocks, sometimes of great size. In the deep bush of the interior it is the habit of birds of many species to search together for food, following a set route, and keeping closely to their time schedule. But ordinary call-birds and “set-ups” are not for these. [Illustration: FIG. 64. LOTUS IN BLOSSOM.] This gregarious habit among widely varying birds is, however, at times, a great aid to the trapper. A cage containing a Yellow-bellied Calliste[142] was one day placed in a tree about twenty feet high, and limed twigs arranged on neighboring branches. In two hours in the morning, two specimens of the same species, three Blue Tanagers,[143] two Black-faced Callistes,[141] two Toua-touas or Brown-breasted Pygmy Grosbeaks,[129] and one Yellow Oriole[159] were taken. The various species of Tanagers and Orioles are much more gregarious in feeding habits than the Finches, hence the variety caught. The Toua-touas were purely accidental visitors. The Finches can rarely be taken by a call-bird not of the same species. The black or coolie boy who makes his living at catching birds at “tuppence” each, sets out at daylight with his two or three call-birds in their cribs, arranged on a stick. Arrived at some secluded spot, where he has heard the song of an intended victim, he sets his call-birds on upright sticks of two or three feet in length and places on the top of each cage a strong wire, heavily smeared with the gum of the sapadillo. This wire is very carefully twisted so that it cannot by any possibility become loosened. This is, of course, contrary to the ethics of all good bird-catchers, for if the bird falls to the ground with its stick, it is much more certain to be secured, and less liable to injure itself. However, this is British Guiana.