BARBANQUILLA. 



33 



fereiit kinds. As we drew nearer Barranquilla I saw a flock of 

 birds flying- with rapid wing-beats, looking- just like a flock of our 

 doves ; but as they veered oft', the sunlight struck them and I saw 

 that they were light green in color. They were parrakeets, the 

 flrst birds that I had seen on the mainland answering- my expecta- 

 tions as regards tropical birds. Later on, several flocks flew by the 

 train near enough for me to hear their harsh, screeching notes. 

 Just after leaving the seashore, I noticed on both sides of the 



HOTEL VICTORIA AND AMERICAN CONSILATE, BARRANQUILLA. 



track among the trees a great many burrows with a little mound of 

 earth thrown up around the entrance, and in each of these I could 

 see a large blue crab ( Cardlosoma gufuihuml). 



Our three guns, which were in their canvas covers and strapped 

 in one bundle, had been passed by the inspector at Puerto Colom- 

 bia, and we anticipated no more trouble about them ; but, to our 



