ON THE ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY OF THE WEST INDIA ISLANDS. 355 



very extensive, and those in botany extend to the whole of the phanero- 

 gams and the vascular cryptogams. No expense has been incurred by 

 the Committee in regard to any of these collections in St. Vincent. 



The services of Mr. R. V. Sherriug, F.L.S., were accepted, as men- 

 tioned in the last report, to make botanical collections in the island of 

 Grenada. He left this country in October last and returned after seven 

 months' absence in June last. Mr. Sherring has forwarded to this 

 country large collections, consisting for the most part of vascular crypto- 

 gams, and these are now in course of being determined at Kew. A 

 detailed i-eport on the various collections in zoology and botany received 

 during the past year is given below. 



At the present time Mr. Herbert H. Smith, the collector employed by 

 Mr. Godman, is making collections in zoology in the island of Grenada. 

 This is the most southerly of the chain of islands intended to be explored 

 by the Committee. When this island is completed the Committee will 

 have been engaged in investigating the fauna and flora of most of the 

 islands in the Lesser Antilles lying between Martinique and Trinidad. 

 The islands in which collections have so far been made consist of Domi- 

 rica, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and Grenada. 



Zoology. 



Since the last report collections have continued to be received from 

 St. Vincent by Mr. Godman. The work of sorting and arranging these 

 collections has been begun. The arthropods are already completed, and 

 the larger part of the insects is mounted a,nd prepared for despatch to the 

 specialists who have been engaged to work them out. 



For this purpose the Committee have been so fortunate as to obtain the 

 assistance of the following naturalists : Herr Hofrath Brunner v. Wat- 

 tenwyl for the Orthoptera ; Professor Riley for the Rhynchota ; Mr. 

 Howard for the parasitic Hymenoptera ; Professor S. W. Williston for the 

 Diptera ; Professor Aug. Forel for the Ants ; Lord Walsingham for 

 Lepidoptera, part ; F. D. Godman and 0. Salvin for Lepidoptera, part ; D. 

 Sharp for Coleoptera ; M. Simon for Spiders generally ; and G. W. Peck- 

 ham for Attidte. The Committee have undertaken to procure publication 

 of the memoirs that may be received from these savants. 



A small collection of specimens made by Dr. H. A. Alford Nicholls, 

 F.L.S., local secretary to the Committee in the island of Dominica, was 

 received in May last. This consisted of nine mammals, one lizard, one 

 snake, five fishes, one Ascalaphus, twelve Longicornia, two PassalidEe, and 

 five Lamellicornia. Besides these Dr. Nicholls sent from the island of 

 Tobago four of the peculiar nests of the yellow-tailed bird of that island 

 {Gassiciis cristatus). These birds usually build their nests depending from 

 isolated branches of the silk-cotton tree {Eriodendron anfractuosum), and 

 they look like huge fruits waving in the wind. 



A small collection of Lepidoptera was received in November last from 

 Captain Hellard, R.E., local secretary to the Committee in the island 

 of St. Lucia. The mounted specimens in this collection arrived in bad 

 order owing to the pieces of camphor getting loose in the boxes and 

 breaking the greater part of them, including almost the whole of the 

 Sphingido'. 



Mr. John C. Wells, who has devoted attention to the ornithology of 

 Grenada, has kindly consented to act as a local secretary for that island. 



