AT HOME IN THE \'ALLEY OF THE SAN JtlAN DE I.ETRAN. 



stone conglomerate against which the sea dashes as 

 it would on a rocky breakwater. This formation is 

 here about one mile in width and is tlanked by the 

 foothills of a range of mountains whose irregular 

 outline formed an horizon wholly unlike the islet 

 dotted sea of the preceding day. 



At 2 p. m. we sighted Trinidad, a group of cream 

 colored houses three miles from its port of Casilda. 

 near the summit of a range of coast hills some 600 

 feet in height. The shallow harbor is formed by a 

 long arm of land whose surface, covered with grassy 

 marshes and mangrove swamps, promised to be pro- 

 ductive collecting ground. 



When fitting out for an expedition one's anticipa 

 tions are so stimulated that often no small part of the 

 pleasure of an outing comes while one is preparing 

 for it. Nevertheless I shall not pause here to relate 

 my experiences in the quaint little city of Trinidad. 

 With a knowledge of Spanish which permitted me to 

 ask questions but did not in the least assist me to 

 understand the replies, and without an acquaintance 

 in the place, my search for a suitable home might 

 have been an unavailing one, had it not been for the 

 hearty assistance of Mr. Daniel Quayle, American 

 Consular Agent at Trinidad Largely through his 

 efforts, three days later found me equipped with 

 camp supplies, a young Cuban to act as cook, and 

 for transportation two horses and a burro. 



Our destination was the valley of San Juan de 

 Letran, some eight miles from Trinidad in the moun- 

 tains at an elevation of about 1500 feet, where I 

 had secured the use of a palm thatched mud cabin. 

 Sending Lopez ahead with the pack animals, I fol- 

 lowed some hours later, joining three mountaineers 

 who were going my way. 



Mounting the crest of the hill beneath the brow of 

 which Trinidad is located, we descended into the fer- 

 tile valley of the same name. Its southern side is 

 flanked by the geologically recent coast hills, while 

 from the northern border rise the lower ridges of the 

 much older Trinidad mountains. Crossing the valley, 



here between two and three miles in width, we en- 

 tered a narrow trail and began our ascent 



As increasing altitude widened our horizon the scene 

 became impressively grand and beautiful, .\bout us 

 were the mountains seamed by deep barrancas, with 

 dashing streams showing here and there through the 

 luxuriant vegetation which clothed them ; below us 

 the noble valley of Trinidad with its yellow-green 

 fields of sugar cane, its white ingenios, its countless 

 stately palms and glossy leaved mangoes, its pictur- 

 esque river winding in sinuous lines on its way to the 

 sea, which, beyond the coast hills, formed a back- 

 ground to the whole picture. 



Our party now numbered four men, four horses 

 and four burros, and as strung out over the moun- 

 tain trail we wound over the crests of ridges or along 

 the precipitous sides of deep barrancas, we presented 

 what seemed to me an imposing and certainly an 

 inspiring appearance. 



It was so dark when finally we reached my cabin, 

 that beyond setting up my cot I made no attempt that 

 night at housekeeping. Furthermore, I was tired 

 and wanted to be thoroughly rested for the first day 

 afield — the supreme event in the history of every 

 naturalist's outing. It was now eighteen days since 

 I had left New York and not only during this time 

 but for many preceding weeks I had anticipated with 

 increasing interest my introduction to Cuban forests 

 and their birds. Only a naturalist can fully appre- 

 ciate this feeling. A sportsman shares it to a limited 

 extent but he is generally in pursuit of some definite 

 species which he has doubtless often hunted before. 

 The naturalist, however, in a fauna new to him, is in 

 a new world. Its life may be known to others, but 

 to the true student of animals in nature, the first 

 meeting with them is a bit of realism often pregnant 

 with suggestions. Daylight permitted me to gain a 

 clearer idea of the appearance of my hut with its ad- 

 joining thatch and also to view my surroundings. 



The valley of San Juan de Letran is one of many 

 small, narrow valleys nestling in the mountains but 



