44 BLUEFIELDS. 



large flowers of a rich crimson hue and polished 

 surface. The sheathing bases of the leaves form 

 natural reservoirs for water; the rains and dews 

 accumulating there in considerable quantities, and 

 forming a resource for thousands of birds, and even 

 for man himself, in the season of drought, and afford- 

 ing retreats, always cool and moist, for those reptiles 

 that respire through the skin. 



One of the largest trees on the hill of which I have 

 been speaking was the Tropic Birch (Bursera gwnmi- 

 fera), a tree not very common, but often attaining a 

 giant bulk and height. It is less infested than many 

 with these parasites, owing to the smoothness of its 

 bark, which is glossy, and peels off in thin papery 

 laminae, like the northern tree after which it is 

 named. A clear resinous substance exudes from the 

 trunk, which is viscid, and appears to possess many 

 of the qualities of turpentine. 



THE SOLDIER CRAB. 



Among the loose pebbles that formed the surface 

 of this hill, wherever the huge outcropping masses of 

 rock did not appear, and that added to the difficulties 

 of penetrating the maze, were many large shells. 

 The first of these that I saw was a large round brown 

 Snail {Helix Jamaicensis), and as its exterior was 

 very fresh, I thought I had a prize ; but on taking it 

 up, I saw the large claw of a Hermit-crab, red and 

 tuberculous, closing up the orifice, which it exactly 

 fitted. The negroes call these crabs Soldiers, per- 

 haps from their red hue. Afterwards I saw other 



