PREFACE. 
—108{00——— 
TuHE islands to which reference is made in the fol- 
lowing chapters are those known as the Caribbees, 
or Lesser Antilles, extending over eight degrees of 
latitude, between Porto Rico and Trinidad, connect- 
ing the Greater Antilles with the continent of South 
America. 
This archipelago, containing the loveliest islands in 
the western hemisphere, with settlements ante-dating 
Jamestown and Plymouth, with structure and physi- 
cal features interesting to men of science the world 
over, has yet remained, as at the period of discovery, 
almost an unknown field to the naturalist. 
In 1876, under the auspices of the Smithsonian In- 
stitution, I undertook the exploration of these islands 
with the especial view of bringing to light their 
ornithological treasures. The investigation covered 
a space of nearly two years, during which time I 
visited mountains, forests, and people, that few, if 
any, tourists ever reached before. It was only by 
leaving the beaten path of travel, and taking to the 
woods, that I was enabled to accomplish what I did 
Vv 
