AMEHA 229 



the tangled roots and dense undergrowth of the banks, 

 I had many opportunities of observing the iguana at 

 Panama, where it is used as a regular article of food by 

 the natives. In fact, the principal occupation of the man 

 in whose hut I lived when I was collecting birds on the 

 Isthmus, was the catching of iguanas. He used to tie 

 them all over the place until he had a sufficient quantity 

 to take to town. Many were females literally bursting 

 with eggs. These eggs may be seen in any of the shops 

 in Panama tied by the middle in long strings, looking 

 somewhat like small heads of garlic. 



On April 12 at noon we stopped for breakfast on an 

 open stretch of rocks with Ameha in front of us. From 

 where we were the slopes leading to the precipice seemed 

 to begin quite close to the river's bank opposite to us, 

 but when we subsequently explored the mountain we 

 found that this was not so, there being a wide stretch of 

 low-lying land between the river and the mountain itself. 

 The top of Ameha is almost flat and is densely wooded. 

 Between this forest growth and that on the slopes below, 

 the cliffs, with the exception of some projecting ledges 

 which support a few shrubs and grasses, are bare and of 

 a yellowish-grey colour, with reddish streaks or patches 

 where the surface has been freshly exposed by the break- 

 ing off of pieces from the main mass. 



After breakfast we continued our journey up stream 

 in search of a suitable camping-place, the men having to 

 wade in the shallow water and haul the boats after them. 

 Finally we fixed upon an open mass of rock at the mouth 

 of a small stream, and on this we landed our provisions 

 and effects and prepared to pass the night. It was 

 arranged, as we intended to spend several days at this 



