GEORGETOWN. 131 



flies were scarce although a great variety of flowers were in 

 profusion everywhere. 



April seems to be the height of the breeding season for 

 many birds. In one tree we found two wasps' nests, and 

 nests with eggs or young of the following six species of birds; 

 the Red-winged Ground Dove, 9 the Great 101 and Lesser 103 

 Kiskadees, White-shouldered Ground Fly-catcher or "Cotton- 

 bird," 97 Gray Tody-flycatcher or " Pipitoori " QQ and Cinereus 

 Becard. 114 



Chestnut Cuckoos of two species, 77 ' 78 all four Kis- 

 kadees, 101 - 103 104 - 106 Caracaras, 53 Black-faced Tanagers or 

 "Bucktown Sackies," 141 \Yoodhewers, Klanias 10 and other 

 Flycatchers are a few among many birds which we were 

 sure of seeing on every walk, while Anis, both great 711 and 

 small 80 were everywhere. 



The Botanical Gardens are ideal for experimental botanical 

 work and sugar cane in scores of varieties is being kept under 

 observation. It is hard to believe that the delicate grass 

 which we see springing up in the ditched fields will grow 

 into the lofty and waving stalks of sugar cane. It is ex- 

 ceedingly variable and should afford excellent material 

 for experimental study. The original yellow-stalked cane 

 develops red and purple streaks in many combinations, due 

 apparently to difference in soils. Cane sent to Louisiana will, 

 within twelve years, produce much larger nodes owing to the 

 plant having to fruit in six months instead of eleven or 

 twelve. The stalk, however, does not gain correspondingly 

 in diameter; so there is no increase in sugar capacity. Tropi- 

 cal plants can in many cases adapt themselves to shorter, 

 northern summers, but temperate perennials soon die in the 

 tropics from exhaustion, lacking their annual period of rest. 



The climatic conditions along the coast of British Guiana 

 are peculiar, in that they simulate conditions usually existing 

 at an altitude of two or three thousand feet. One result of 



