NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



647 



caibo (t). Small steamer makes alter- 

 nate connections from Willemstad. 



Practically no customs inspection at 

 Curasao; small deposit required of 

 second class passengers to insure their 

 deportation. Venezuelan customs offi- 

 cials very strict. Both countries pro- 

 hibit importation of firearms, but scien- 

 tists may secure permission through 

 United States Department of State. 

 Passport and vaccination certificate 

 (smallpox) for entrance into Venezuela; 

 be sure to let the officials know where 

 and why you are traveling and they will 

 give you every assistance. 



Roads fair throughout the Dutch 

 Leeward Islands. A recently constructed 

 road, across Venezuela from Caracas 

 to San Cristobal, Estado Tdchira, is 

 said to be practicable for all cars 

 during the dry season. The road from 

 La Guaira (Caracas) to the Andes is 

 practicable for any kind of motor car as 

 far as Merida and will be so to the 

 Colombian boundary in a few months. 

 Another very good road goes to El 

 Sombrero, 300 km. from Caracas, and in 

 the dry season any kind of car can 

 reach San Fernando in a very short 

 time. The beautifful road down the 

 Tuy valley, which is to be continued to 

 Ciudad Bolivar, will be open to 

 traffic soon. Cars are available at 

 larger towns in Venezuela and in Cura- 

 gao, Bonaire and Aruba. Fishing sloops 

 also can be hired cheaply in the islands. 



Schooner travel: quite good from 

 east to west; slow and uncertain in the 

 opposite direction. 



Maps: Venezuelan Government maps 

 of entire country and also of the separate 

 states; the best maps but expensive; 

 complete series of those published in 

 the Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia. U. S. 

 Hj^drographic Office: charts 964, 1049, 

 ]290, 2154.— H. B. B. 



2. Orinoco Valley 



La Guaira: monthly government 

 steamer to Cumana, Margarita Island, 

 and Ciudad Bolivar. 



La Guaira: (23 km.) R. R. to Caracas 

 (J), (about 185 km,) to Valencia (|), 



and (about 250 km.) to Puerto Cabello. 

 These arid valleys are very barren 

 collecting grounds. 



Valencia: (10 km.) "Ford" or horse- 

 back to Lake Tacarigua; (about 45 km.) 

 ditto during dry season to Bejuma (|), 

 and (about 105 km.) to Nirgua {%). — 

 H. B. B. 



Lake Valencia. A lake 35 by 15 mi., 

 an altitude of 1650 ft. The vegetation 

 which surrounds it is mostly savanna. 

 The lake is surrounded with beautiful 

 mountains. Fishes are abundant. In 

 the vicinity are deer, caiman, corm>o- 

 rants, herons, frogs, Bufo marinus. This 

 place is reached by the Red D steam- 

 ship from New York to La Guaira. The 

 nearest important city is Maracay. One 

 could outfit there. May be reached by 

 railroad from La Guaira or Pto. Cabello. 

 Hotels at Maracay and Valencia. Camp- 

 ing outfit is needed, also a guide. — 

 A. S. Pearse. 



Bejuma: (2 km.) foot to Laguna de 

 Ram6n Coronel, a representative, sa- 

 vanna pond. 



3. North-Central Mountains 



La Guaira: Macuto Electric to Ma- 

 cuto; Rio Macuto valley, a steep, narrow 

 valley, with a narrow border of natural 

 vegetation. 



Puerto Cabello: (7 km.), auto or foot 

 to San Esteban (native huts available); 

 Camino Real, foot or horse, to Los 

 Quiguas. Many tributary valleys pre- 

 sent natural conditions; avifauna es- 

 pecially rich. 



Puerto Cabello: (one night), small 

 steamer to Tucacas (J); (73 km.) R. R. 

 to San Felipe (J) and (about 90 km.) 

 to Aroa (|). The immediate region of 

 both of these towns is cleared, but quite 

 undisturbed valleys within walking 

 distance. 



During the dry season one can go 

 with any car from Valencia through San 

 Carlos, Acarigua, Barquisimets San 

 Felipe and Pto Cabello. The road is 

 now open from Barquisiments to Coro 

 via Carora, and from here a branch to 

 Puertos de Olta Gracia, in front of 

 Maracaibo, is in construction. 



