166 BLUEFIELDS. 



beneath stones in the vicinity of Bkiefields. It ap- 

 pears inert when exposed, and perhaps hopes to 

 escape observation by remaining motionless ; on being 

 touched, however, it shuffles away rather nimbly. 



In the damp woods on the summit of Bluefields 

 Ridge I find under stones the genera Polydesmus and 

 Julus. The former are difficult to preserve, from 

 their excessive fragility when dead. By the time I 

 arrive at home, I commonly find the specimens, col- 

 lected an hour or two before, completely disintegrated, 

 the box presenting only a heap of fragments ; and 

 those segments that yet remain entire, separating at 

 the slightest touch. They are inert animals, of slow 

 motion. The living Jtdus when touched, gives out 

 at the part, a brown fluid oozing from beneath the 

 segments. This is of a rank pungent odour, and 

 stains the fingers of a deep yellow hue. 



SINGING-BIRDS, AND SWEET FLOWERS. 



'' In tropical countries, where brilliant and varied 

 colours have been granted to the birds and flowers, 

 song has been denied to the one, and fragrance to the 

 other." This is one of those flippant generalisations 

 which people are fond of repeating, originally made 

 without investigation, and perpetuated without in- 

 quiry. In Jamaica it is certainly very far from truth ; 

 and I suspect would be found as groundless every- 

 where else. The groves and fields of this sunny isle 

 ring with the melody of birds, to a degree fully equal, 

 in my judgment, to that of Europe. In the lone 

 forests of the mountain-heights the Glass-eye Merle 



