J. Dclacour—Notes of a Bird-lover in Tropical America 151


Scardafella ridgwayi, Leptoptila verreauxi, and one Humming-bird that

I took as a trial, Chlorostilbon viridis.


We sailed for Trinidad with that menagerie on 1st January on

board the Dutch s.s. Stuyvesend.


Trinidad


After two days sailing along the coast of Venezuela, the magnificent

Mouth of the Dragons opens to our view ; the hilly islets, all of a similar

formation, astonishingly regular, appeared as a line between Trinidad

and the Continent. They, as well as the two coasts, are very high and

extraordinarily green—the verdure of the West Indies, so intense that

it appears to be unreal—and the mountain at their northern extremity

falls precipitously into the sea.


Port of Spain is the most comfortable town of the West Indies.

We stayed there for a fortnight to rest our livestock, which were

greatly in need of it after the sea voyage. We installed them in a court¬

yard, and the cages were arranged in a shed. The larger birds were

let out. During the crossing, many Tanagers and other fruit-eaters

were too crowded in their cages, and soiled their plumage terribly ;

they could not clean themselves properly without bathing, and in

spite of our care, we lost some twenty, amongst which was the beautiful

and rare Tanagra olivicyana, which never reconciled itself to captivity.


Trinidad closely resembles the neighbouring coast of Venezuela.

Its Flora and Fauna are almost identical with those of the Continent,

and recall but little those of the smaller West Indies.


The island is still rich in birds. They are now strictly protected,

for their numbers had been terribly diminished. For the most part,

one finds the same species as in the north of Venezuela. In the town

the same deafening cries of Tyrants and Tanagers.


Along the roads Troupials are numerous, and also the beautiful

golden-green Jacamars, which along with the Humming-birds, resort

to the telegraph wires. But we have something new : the Motmot of

Trinidad.


The Motmots are birds of the size of a Jay ; they have a big

head, marked with black and bright blue, fine ruby-coloured eyes,

and a strong, serrated bill; the body is dark yellowish green



