CARTAGO TO RUIZ AND SANTA ISABEL 59 



other creatures, they effectively succeeded in evading our 

 every effort to discover them. Probably the denizens of 

 this underworld had learned the value of extreme caution 

 and wariness because numbers of eagles (Lophotriorchis) 

 were always soaring overhead ready to pounce down on 

 any of them that for an instant relaxed their vigil. 



A large part of the soil was springy beneath our step; it 

 was imdermined by numberless rivulets which trickled 

 from the slopes and made their way to the stream in the 

 centre of the valley. These wet places were covered with 

 extensive areas of daisy-like plants having clumps or ro- 

 settes of stiff leaves; the squat, green hummocks were 

 strong enough to support one's weight, but walking over 

 them was always accompanied by the feeling that they 

 might give way suddenly and precipitate one into the deep 

 mire. Sphagnum flourished along the edges of the marsh 

 where it was not too wet. 



The peculiar, gray, mullein-like plant called frailejdn 

 thrives in rocky places that were sheltered to some extent; 

 but clumps of the plants also braved the open, wind-swept 

 slopes and grew to the very edge of the snow-fields. 



The heavy, orchid-laden forest through which we passed 

 just before reaching the paramo encroached upon the val- 

 ley's lower end, but for a short distance only. There were 

 well-worn trails made by tapirs and deer that came nightly 

 to feed on the abimdant grass, for despite the dry and with- 

 ered appearance of the upper layer there was a deep carpet 

 of tender green shoots underneath. 



There was an abundance of birds on the paramo, espe- 

 cially along the bush-grown banks of the streamlet; but all 

 were of duU colors — slaty blue, gray, black, or deep brown, 

 that harmonized well with the bleak surroundings. Their 

 habits reminded us of open-country birds of the northern 

 United States. Gray flycatchers ran over the ground; at 

 frequent intervals they mounted high in the air, like homed 

 larks, for which we at first from a distance mistook them. 

 A small wren-like bird, black with brown flanks (Scytalopus 



