FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. 259 



savannas. Indeed the ornithologist will find much to interest 

 him in the immediate vicinity of the city, but he should lose no 

 time in hastening to the virgin forests, or 'high woods,' as they 

 arc locally known, where birds may be studied under absolutely 

 natural conditions. The Government rest-house on the Moruga 

 Road, kept by Corporal and Mrs. Stoute, was Mr. Chapman's 

 headquarters during March and April, 1893, and from every 

 point of view leaves nothing to be desired. In fact, we doubt if 

 there exists a place elsewhere in the tropics where for a small 

 compensation a naturalist may find so thoroughly comfortable a 

 home, with the best of food and attention, at the border of a 

 primaeval forest. 



"We, however, were even more fortunate, for in accepting the 

 invitation of Mr. Albert B. Carr to visit him at his cacao estate 

 in the Caparo district we found not only a delightful home in a 

 region where birds were abundant, but had also the companion- 

 ship and assistance of Mr. Carr and his brother, both born 

 naturalists and skilled woodsmen, with a thorough knowledge of 

 the country. Every ornithologist knows what this means. 

 Without the guidance of our hosts we should have seen less in 

 three months than we did in three weeks. Through their 

 unceasing efforts every hour of the day, and almost every hour of 

 the night also, brought some interesting incident. The birds 

 and mammals of the region were passed in review for our benefit, 

 and at the conclusion of our stay there were but few species 

 which hail not answered to the roll-call of gun, dog, and trap. 



Mr. Carr's home is near the point of a narrow wedge of cacao 

 estates which penetrates the forests from Chaguanas on the 

 western side of the island. The limits of the cacao and shading 

 immortel trees, among which his picturesque, thatched house is 

 situated, are sharply defined by the dark walls of the virgin 

 tant only a few hundred yards. In the morning, from 

 its apparently fathomless depths, came the deep-voiced roaring of 

 monkeys (Mycetes). Toucans, perching on the topmost branches 

 of the higher trees, croaked defiance at some answering rival half 

 a mile away. The united voices of cooing Doves (£ngyp(ila)- 

 formed a soft monotone to which the ear frequently became 

 insensible. The sweet, weird trilling of Tinamous arose from the 

 bordering undergrowth. In the trees about our house were 

 noisy Qu'-est-ce-qu'il-dits ; shrike-like Yircos (C 'ytforhis flavipectus) 

 whistled vigorously : active bands of Tanagers (Eamphocelus and 

 Tanagra) flitted i about uttering their weak, squeaky 



notes. Five or six species of Hummingbirds were generally 

 numerous about the blossoming bois immortels, while overhead 

 were flocks containing four species of Swifts (Chcetura) whose 

 twitterings reminded us of other and very different scenes. In 

 the cool, darkened forest Jacamars were piping, Trogons cooing, 



