140 Mr. P. R. Lowe on the 



land-birds have come to shew either greater or smaller 

 differences from their allies of the neighbouring islands. 

 The direction of the trade-winds would seem to favour 

 colonization from Cuba rather than from Jamaica, but we 

 must make allowance for chance storms and hurricanes. 



Grand Cayman and Little Cayman are exceedingly flat 

 and very little raised above sea-level, being neither more nor 

 less than upraised level reefs of coral limestone. Cayman 

 Erac is somewhat higher. It is wedge-like in appearance. 

 The thick end of the wedge, which is situated at the east end 

 of the island, rises almost perpendicularly to a height of 

 eighty feet or more. The coral limestone of which the 

 islands are composed has naturally been much worn and 

 weathered by wind and rain, and supports a scanty but 

 fertile soil. 



As regards the flora, there is, at any rate at the present day, 

 no luxuriant forest ; the greater part of the islands being 

 covered, where not converted into plantations, with thick 

 scrub consisting of logwood, fustic, ironwood, and a few 

 mahogany trees, while low bushes and creepers are thickly 

 interspersed. Where the soil is more sandy there are large 

 areas of thatch-palm scrub, 



A feature of the physical condition of the islands is the 

 number of marshy areas and boggy pools. These marshy 

 spots are covered or dotted with rank grass and other marsh- 

 loving vegetation, and are often surrounded by thick belts 

 of mangrove trees in which birds swarm. Along the 

 northern shore of Grand Cayman these mangroves flourish 

 particularly well and grow to a great height. Although 

 there are large areas of uncleared scrub and useless marsh, 

 the islands (Grand Cayman especially) are thickly dotted 

 with small plantations which harbour a noticeably large 

 quantity of birds. We know, indeed, of few islands in the 

 West Indies where birds are more plentiful or where the 

 conditions are more favourable to bird-life. 



We must acknowledge, however, that the general avian 

 picture is entirely changed in summer after the departure 



