NO. 5 MAMMALS OF PANAMA — GOLDMAN 1 3 



About this time a swarm of grasshoppers appeared suddenly in 

 some abandoned brush-grown clearings near the gold mines. The 

 insects covered the vegetation over an area 40 or 50 acres in extent 

 so thickly and fed so voraciously that all leaves and tender twigs 

 disappeared in a few hours ; and the weight of their bodies broke 

 down many bushes an inch in diameter. They soon disappeared, 

 rising and flying off over the forest, leaving the affected area as 

 sharply outlined as though it had been swept by fire. 



On April 12 field equipment was transported by men from the 

 mines to the spring which had previously been chosen on the water- 

 shed of the Rio Limon about 200 feet below the crest of Mount 

 Pirre. A small clearing was cut in the forest and a palm-thatched 

 shelter soon erected. We found conditions about as at the time of 

 our brief visit in March, but after April 20 heavy showers became 

 increasingly frequent, indicating the opening of the rainy season. 

 When there was no rain, mist and fog continued to envelop the upper 

 slopes, except for brief intervals during which certain vantage 

 points afforded excellent views of the Serrania del Darien across 

 the Tuyra Valley. The higher mountains visible to the northeast in 

 the vicinity of Mount Tacarcuna appeared to reach about the same 

 height as Mount Pirre. From the Pirre range Vasco Nunez de 

 Balboa is believed to have discovered the Pacific Ocean in 151 3. My 

 outlook in that direction was always obstructed by distant cloud 

 banks or nearer forested ridges converging into the valley of the 

 Rio Tucuti. The cloud effects were sometimes marvellously beauti- 

 ful, especially in early morning, when distant peaks simulated islands 

 emerging from a frozen sea, or a rift in the floating barrier disclosed 

 the play of a thousand lights and shadows on the dark forest beneath. 

 But such scenes were seldom enjoyed for, although the mountain 

 slopes are steep, they are in few places precipitous, and the dense 

 forest seldom permits an unobstructed view in any direction. 



With the progress of the rainy season toads and frogs of widely 

 varying size and form became numerous. As night approached, 

 their peculiar irregularly mingled calls coming from everywhere, in 

 the trees as well as on the ground, began to break the general still- 

 ness characteristic of the higher altitudes, and were continued until 

 long after dark. In attempting to secure a specimen that attracted 

 attention in the twilight one evening, it slipped through my fingers, 

 as such amphibians are prone to do, and I was surprised to find that 

 several tadpoles were left in my hand. Other examples of the same 

 species were soon found, bearing six or seven young upon their 



