253 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD 



NOTES ON BIRDS OBSERVED IN TRINIDAD. 



By "William Brewster and Frank M. Chapman. 



OUR knowledge of tropical birds is so largely derived from the 

 journals of travellers and naturalists, whose arduous explora- 

 tions in the less accessible parts of the tropics have been attended 

 by hardship and exposure, that most of us are discouraged from 

 even attempting to visit the fascinating regions they describe. 

 The brilliantly colored Trogons, Toucans, Jacamars and Hum- 

 mingbirds which figure so conspicuously in cases of tropical 

 birds, thus seem to us to be more or less unreal inhabitants of 

 lands forever beyond the bounds of our experience. The truth 

 is, however, that we may be comfortably and safely established 

 in a tropical forest in less time than it frequently takes to reach 

 the nearest European port. 



The Island of Trinidad belongs politically to the British 

 West Indies, but faunally it is a small bit of the South 

 American continent which has been detached in recent geological 

 times. Its bird life therefore is very similar to that of the 

 Venezuelan mainland and is quite unlike the comparatively 

 meagre, insular avifauna of the true West Indian islands to the 

 northward. A visit to Trinidad is thus practically a visit to 

 South America. But it is not alone the richness of the fauna 

 which leads us to recommend Trinidad as an exceptionally 

 favorable field for the naturalist with limited time at his 

 command. Its additional advantages are : accessibility, a 

 healthy, in fact during the dry season, from December to May, 

 perfect climate ; the safety and material comforts which one is 

 sure of finding in a British colony ; and a Naturalists' Field 

 Club whose members, as we know from pleasant experiences, will 

 cordially l'eceive brother naturalists. It is evident then that a 

 trip to the tropics, far from being an undertaking involving 

 much time and risk of life, may be an excursion from which one 

 may return in two or three months richer both physically 

 and mentally. 



From New York to Port-of -Spain, by the direct line of 

 steamers, is a voyage of nine days, or occasionally a steamer of 

 the Windward Island line continues from Barbadoes, the usual 

 terminus, to Trinidad. The latter is by far the more enjoyable 

 sail and, taking only six days longer, gives one an opportunity to 

 land at a dozen or more islands ^n route. 



Port-of-Spain possesses fair hotels and stores which will 

 compare favourably with those of our larger cities. Black 

 Vultures swarm in the streets, and many birds, notably the 

 Qu'-est-ce-qu'il-dit (Pitangus sulplmratvs) and Ani (Crotophaga 

 ani), are common in the Botanic Gardens and neighboring 



