277 



(s.) Cribo. One of the commonest in Trinidad of the numerous and 

 harmless family of the ColuhiiiLe. Cribocs are useful about the house in 

 being 'dead on rats' and good muusers, but the housewife must keep an eye 

 on her chicks, for these noiseless ophidians are ready to snap up any tiny, 

 toothsome creature that cros^es their path, 



(t.) Deer. The deer meant here was either the common Red deer of the 

 Island, one of the greatest pests in a young cacao piece, Biche of the French 

 Creoles, Guazupita of the Spaniards, provisionally classed as Caiiacus 

 ncmorivagtis, F..Cuvier; — or that in which the male has covered horns — 

 'biche a cornes couverts' — an equally mischievous animal, very similar 

 in habit, general build and proportion to the first-named, but a distinct 

 kind, as the females of both have been met by my sons and in both 

 cases are entirely without horns. The horn of the ' corne couvert' 

 is clothed with skin on which the short hair grows, very little at the point 

 and little differing in color from the deep red of this deer on other parts of 

 its body, a darker red than that of the Red Deer of the Northern Range 

 where the Corne Couvert is little seen if at all. Both kinds are met with 

 on the Caparo plain, but the ' Corne Couvert' less frequently than the 

 common ' Biche.' 



{;(,) Birds. In consequence of its extent and the variety of its siirface 

 and bird-food, but especially from its near proximity at two points to the 

 great Southern continent, Trinidad is the home of or is visited by a 

 much greater number and variety of birds than any other island of the 

 West Indies. Leotaud counted 287 distinct species, but my present 

 list contains names (or notes) of 324, to which Mr. F. M. Chapman 

 (after January next) will be able to add a few more, and taking into consider- 

 ation the rather large number of marine birds that have been observed in 

 other islands of the group and are not yet included in the Trinidad list though 

 pretty sure to visit us likewise, it is not in i "ae least improbable that a 

 more complete search will reveal near upon 350 species as found here, 

 including migrants and visiting sea-birds. 



THE MICROZOA OF THE TERTIARY AND OTHER 

 ROCKS OF TRINIDAD AND THE WEST INDIES. 



By R. J. Lechmere Guppy. 



On any question relating to the geology of Trinidad the first 

 reference naturally is to the Geological Report of G. P. Wall and 

 J. G. Sawkins. Previous to the publication of that report in 

 1860 the knowledge we possessed relative to the structure of the 

 island was of the most meagre and erroneous kind. But the 

 conditions of the Colony restricted so much the time and means 

 at the disposal of the Surveyors that a general outline only was 

 possible to them, leaving the details to be filled in by the ir- 

 regular and erratic hand of the amateur. Hence the descriptions 

 of the sedimentary strata of the district of Naparima contained 

 in the report were more imperfect even than the natural con 

 ditions and difficulties of observation, themselves pretty con- 

 siderable, need have made them. The relations of the various 



