140 THE NATURALIST IN NICARAGUA. [Ch. VIII. 



branches, their metallic colours not showing from below, 

 and the sound of their chirpings or rather squeakings 

 is most deceptive as to their direction and distance from 

 the hearer. My conclusion, after I got to know their 

 voices in the woods, was that the humming-birds around 

 Santo Domingo equalled in number all the rest of the birds 

 together, if they did not greatly exceed them. Yet one 

 may sometimes ride for hours without seeing one. They 

 build their nests on low shrubs often on branches over- 

 hanging paths, or on the underside of the large leaves of 

 the shrubby palm-trees. They are all bold birds, suffer- 

 ing you to approach nearer than any other kinds, and 

 often flying up and hovering within tAVO or three yards 

 from you. This fearlessness is probably owing to the great 

 security from foes that their swiftness of flight ensures 

 to them. I have noticed amongst butterflies that the 

 swiftest and strongest flyers, such as the Hesperidce, also 

 allow you to approach much nearer to them than those 

 with weaker wings, feeling confident that they can dart 

 away from any threatened danger a misplaced con- 

 fidence, however, so far as the net of the collector is 

 concerned. 



At the head of the tramway, near the entrance to the 

 San Benito mine, we planted about three acres of the 

 banks of the valley with grass. In clearing away the 

 fallen logs and brushwoods, many beetles, scorpions, and 

 centipedes were brought to light. Amongst the last was 

 a curious species belonging to the sucking division of the 

 Myriapods (Suyantia, of Brandt), which had a singular 

 method of securing its prey. It is about three inches 

 long, and sluggish in its movements ; but from its tubular 

 mouth it is able to discharge a viscid fluid to the distance 



