BANGS AND PENARD: SURINAM BIRDS. 27 



lands of the interior. Through the Savanna lands may be traced the 

 original coastline of Surinam. 



The third zone, the Highlands, emerges gradually and unevenly 

 from the savannas and stretches forth through the little known and 

 largely unexplored back lands to the Tumuchumac Mountains on the 

 Brazilian boundary. Commencing in 1901, several scientific expedi- 

 tions under the auspices especially of the Royal Dutch Geographical 

 Society, have penetrated to the sources of the main water-ways. 

 But the primary object of these expeditions was to gain geographical 

 and geological information; biological and ethnological work, in most 

 cases, was considered of secondary importance, and especially zoologi- 

 cal collecting received very little attention. The territory between 

 the upper reaches of the rivers and beyond is still for the most part 

 unexplored and forms a considerable proportion of the total area of 

 Surinam. The extensive hard-wood forests which occupy these parts, 

 are crossed by low mountain-chains and isolated peaks. The highest 

 of these are the Wilhelmina and Emma chains at the source of the 

 Coppename, attaining a maximum height of 1,270 meters. At these 

 comparatively low altitudes we would hardly expect to find an avi- 

 fauna of the Subtropical zone, but we may look with confidence for a 

 richer representation of tropical species than in the lowlands, and 

 valuable results are sure to be obtained from thorough scientific 

 investigation. The extreme difficulties to be overcome, however, 

 make it very unlikely that any extensive work will be done here for 

 some time to come. 



Four seasons, which more or less influence the local distribution of 

 birds, are recognized. They are as follows, but the dates given are 

 very elastic: 



1. Little Rainy Season, November 15 to February 15. 



2. Little Dry Season, February 15 to April 15. 



3. Big Rainy Season, April 15 to August 15. 



4. Big Dry Season, August 15 to November 15. 



The wettest months are May and June; the dry est September and 

 October. The highest temperature at Paramaribo very rarely reaches 

 36° C, in the shade, and the lowest 17° C. Further inland the tem- 

 perature registers a few degrees higher. 



The distribution of bird-life is influenced, often to a considerable 

 degree, by local conditions, directly or indirectly caused by the pres- 

 ence of man. Large or small settlements, villages, open fields, culti- 

 vated lands, abandoned clearings, and plantations partially reclaimed 



