1894
April 2
(No 2)
Trinidad, B.W.I.
Caparo

[margin]4[/margin]
manner of Vireos but on the whole they reminded me
most of Jays especially in their movement when hopping
from twig to twig.

  A frequent and characteristic sound in these tropical woods
is that of the falling of heavy fruit which come down
every few minutes crushing through the leaves and
striking the ground with great force. Perhaps the
largest and heaviest is the fruit of the Common Ball Tree.
Each fruit is as large as a coconut and weighs seven
or eight pounds.

  Studying the foliage carefully this morning I
became satisfied that if one [delete]leans out[/delete] excludes the palms
(which are nowhere at all numerous or conspicuous
in the primitive forest) and the parasitic plants
(Callad[?]s etc.) the leaves are, almost without
exception, smaller than at the North.
Another fact which interests me [delete]very much[/delete] is that
here and there one sees leaves fully ripe and
about to fall which are colored with what 
we should call autumn tints and the ground
under some of the trees is strewn [delete]covered[/delete] with yellow,
crimson or russet leaves that have recently fallen
and among which the foot rustles pleasantly
recalling October at home. There is, however, no
leaf mould nor any matted and decaying leaves
even in the densest  woods. The ants and the
rapid action of heat & moisture make quick work
here. Few stumps or fallen logs last more than
six years & many disappear [?] within three