120 Naturalist at Large 



Gorgas were hospitable beyond measure. When we went 

 to Jamaica they passed us on to friends there, the Lagardes. 

 I wrote my first paper which ever really amounted to 

 anything as a result of the material we got in Jamaica. 

 This paper would have been better had I known as much 

 as I know now about the limitations of individual variation 

 in amphibians, but even so, we spotted some good things 

 and described them. 



Most of these we got at Mandeville, a heavenly spot in 

 the hills of west central Jamaica, where the Lagardes had 

 a lovely house and where it was a delight to be alive and 

 one keenly regretted the passing of each hour. The damp 

 winds blowing over the hills in Jamaica cause a lot of 

 rain and the growth of what are called "wild pines" is 

 often extensive. These are what in our South are called 

 "air plants," only more luxuriant and more abundant in 

 species than the bromeliads of Florida. In the cup formed 

 by the long recurving leaves of each individual wild pine 

 plant is usually a half pint or so of water, and these 

 epiphytes support a characteristic and extremely interest- 

 ing fauna. 



Our method was to spread a sheet on the ground, send 

 up a Negro boy into the trees to throw down masses of 

 the wild pines, and shake them vigorously over the sheet. 

 All hands stood by, for Lewis and Mary Bremer were with 

 us at this time, and Mary Clark as well. They helped catch 

 the frogs before they escaped, and picked up such insects 

 as did not appear too noisome. The venomous-looking 

 critters were left to me and my metal forceps. 



We had an amusing experience in Jamaica. When I was 

 a sophomore in college I had visited my cousin Robert S. 



