20 



E. B. Williamson 



which reveal to them in their voyages some of the rarest and most seckided 

 animal denizens of the densest jungles. In fact nothing is more difficult to 

 reconcile than the varying accounts of travelers in the4ropics. For example, 

 one celebrated author has reported a dense tropical jungle v^here we found 

 broad pastures, and on the Magdalena he never saw a single crocodile where 

 we observed thousands and where, by actual count, forty-six were seen on one 

 small sandbar. 



February 27 we collected in the low forest along the Tamacal and 

 along the railroad about three miles out from Santa Marta. The leaves 

 under the trees were very numerous and dry, but the trees were bright green, 

 and more in flower than when we previously collected here. The ground 

 was still moist under the leaves, and a small flow of water was still in the 

 little streams in the wood. Dragonflies were rarer than formerly and no 

 additional species were seen. The vegetation on the adjoining hills was 

 quite brown and dead in appearance except for an occasional bush and 

 numerous cacti. A yellow flowered prickly pear cactus was in bloom. The 

 abundant, large, coarse, bushy, pink flowered Ipomoea (or related genus) 

 was about done flowering and was becoming leafless, its seed pods burst- 

 ing and revealing the hairy or woolly seeds. The flowering trees, which 

 were numerous, had, so far as noticed, white blossoms. Fires were burn- 

 ing on the hills at some places. Coming down the Magdalena River Ave 

 had seen many fires in the mountains. Our collection, including the speci- 

 mens taken at the Canal Zone, Cartegena, Puerto Colombia and at various 

 stops up the Magdalena River, not hitherto counted in the total, now num- 

 bered 150 species and 8,553 specimens. 



The evening of February 27 we spent with Mr. and Mrs. Flye, Mr. 

 and Mrs. Ryan, Robert Sargent and other friends ; and the morning of 

 February 28 about five o'clock we left Santa Marta on the United Fruit 

 Company steamer of the same name bound for Colon. 



We arrived at Colon March i, and left there March 4. On March 5 

 we came at five p. m. to Bocas del Toro, Panama, and about six p. m. to 

 Almirante. Here we looked without success for Gynacanthas. . 



March 6 was spent pleasantly with the English entomologist, Mr. C. 

 B. Williams, who was studying the local frog-hoppers. We went on the 

 railroad to Guabita and spent a few hours collecting there. Along the rail- 

 road from Almirante to Guabita there is some good collecting country, 

 especially about twenty-three miles out from Almirante. Almirante would 

 provide good headquarters for one wishing to work in southern Central 

 y\merica, as a varied country is accessible from here, and the expenses 

 would be much less than in the Canal Zone. 



The evening of March 6 we left Almirante, and arrived at Havana 

 about ten a. m., March 10. We took a short country drive and at favorable 

 looking streams searched in vain for Neoneuras. The boat sailed about four- 

 thirty p. m. and reached New Orleans about six p. m. March 12, where we 

 passed customs without friction or expense. 



