PAN DE AZUCAR 91 



At the time of our visit to Azucar the rainy 

 season was well on. The warm moisture-laden 

 atmosphere instued ideal conditions for the col- 

 lector, though not for his personal comfort. Pass- 

 ing the heavy belt of vegetation at the moimtain 

 base to attain the steep talus of limestone blocks, 

 now dripping wet, we fell upon a collecting experi- 

 ence most pleasant to dwell upon in retrospect. 

 Creatures theretofore sought by laborious over- 

 turning of many rocks now in astounding abun- 

 dance appeared in open sight. It was not a question 

 of searching for specimens but rather one of selec- 

 tion of the best from many. Among land-shells 

 the large Pleurodonte guanensis, with its elongate 

 corrugated body fully extended, crawled about in 

 every direction, sometimes several individuals in 

 sight. The vitreous Oleacina straminea, with 

 yellow body and long tentacles, crawled rapidly 

 over the rocks and vegetation seeking their living 

 prey. Everywhere the big Helicinids of the Emoda 

 group were active as well as the lovely smooth 

 banded Eutrochatella regina, a varietal form con- 

 fined to this one mountain. We reveled in a 

 conchological paradise, soon filling our bags and 

 every available receptacle, even resorting to the 



