PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 185 



CATATOOl C OF THE ISIRDS OF ST. VI XC EXT, FRO:i COI.EECTIONS MADE 

 BY Mi:. FKED. A. OBER, VXDER THE I>IRE€TIOXS OF THE SMITH- 

 SOXIAX IXSTITUTIOX, WITH HIS XOTES THEREON. 



By OEOROE N. CAWKENCE. 



Before Mr. Obei's tiual visit to Uominica, be made (toUections iu Au- 

 tigiia and Barbuda. These were left with the United States consul at 

 Auligna, to be forwarded to the Smithsonian Institution when there 

 was an opportunity to do so. This was in September, 1877; but they 

 have not .vet been received. 



After completing his investigations in Dominica, he went to St. 

 Vincent, whence he wiites under date of October 9 : — "As soon as I 

 reached the mountains I was taken sick. It has been quite discourag- 

 ing. 1 have suffered from another attack of fever. I feel pretty well 

 now, and hope to keep so." He wrote under date of December 10 : — "I 

 expect to leave for Grenada January 15." But unfortunately he had a 

 relapse of fever, by which he was completely prostrated, as, in a letter 

 dated January 25, he says : — " 1 am just convalescing from a long fever; 

 camping in this very wet weather brought it on. I have been laid up 

 since December 19. I lost all my flesh, and was so weak when I first 

 left my bed that 1 could scarcely stand. Though I have been here a 

 long while, I have accomplished little, owing to the rains and the actual 

 impossibility of working the woods then, without a pull-up such as lam 

 getting. I hope to be all right in a week, and, as drier weather is at 

 hand, to rapidly finish this island, and then push through the Grena- 

 dines to Grenada. From there, retrace my steps here for mails, &c., 

 and then go to Martinique." 



Mr. Ober-s long sickness, together with the rains, prevented him from 

 making but a moderate collection at St. Vincent. He was to leave for 

 Grenada on the 29th of February. 



The collection irom St. Vincent was kindly taken in charge by Rear- 

 Ad niiral Trenchard, commanding the United States steamer Powhatan, 

 early in March. It was received at the Smithsonian on the 25th of that 

 month, i'nd forwarded to me a few days thereafter. It consists of but 

 uinetj- sp( cimens, and some of the species are poorly represented in 

 numbers. 



The subjoined account from Mr. Ober, of the geographical position 

 of the island, with its natural and zoological peculiarities, seems to con- 

 vey valuable information. This, with his observations on the habits of 

 birds, &c., are indicated by quotation-marks : — 



" St. Vincent, February 28, 1878. This island lies in latitude 13° 15^ 

 noirh iind lonjiitude 01° Id' west. It is about 100 miles due west of 

 Barbadoes, and is one of the long chain of volcanic islands extending 

 fronj latitude 17° 50 north to latitude 12° north. 



" Like Dominica, Guadelou[)e, jNIartinique, St. Lucia, and Grenada, 

 it, is very mountainous ; nearly the whole surface is tossed with hills, 

 and even the level land, as it is called, is of this character. 



