72 



A FLYING TRIP TO THE TROPICS. 



POLYERATA AMAKILIS. 

 (From Elliot.) 



rather late in the day for the birds to be stirring, so we saw only a 

 few. I got two new ones : the first a tanager, a male just the size 

 of the "cardinal." It was velvety black, with a beautifully clear 

 yellow rump, its bill light horn-color with darker cutting edges 

 [Rcmipliocehis Icteronotus). The second was a humming-bird, a 



female, green above, the rump and tail- 

 feathers bronzy, the lateral tail-feathers 

 growing darker towards the ends and 

 tipped with white. Below it was gray- 

 ish, with a few metallic green and blue 

 feathers on the throat {PoJyerata ama- 

 hUls), The natives call humming-birds 

 " chupa flores," flower-suckers, and some- 

 times " pica flores." Several hours later 

 in the day the boat stopped again and we 

 went ashore, but it was too scorching hot 

 for anything to be stirring. I shot a large oriole, about the size 

 of our robin, with a black beak, face, chin, and wings, and black 

 and yellow tail, the rest of the plumage yellow. It was in such 

 poor plumage that I did not preserve it, so now have to regret not 

 being able to identify it. 



On my way back to the boat I saw up a small tree what I thought 

 was a very large snake, but upon closer examination I found it to 

 be an iguana, which I shot and carried back with me. It was forty- 

 three inches in length, the greater part of this being taken up by its 

 tail, which tapered to a point and was striped with broad bands of 

 gray and black. Its body, which was about the size of our rabbit's, 

 was green with black marks. Along its back was a row of leath- 

 ery spines (longer than in the species figured), and beneath its 

 throat was a pouch or dcAvlap. I skinned its body, and got one of 

 the bongo men to cure the skin for me by rubbing it with wood- 

 ashes. Its flesh, which is eaten by the natives, looked good, and I 

 noticed that it had the same odor as that of our bull-frog. At this 

 place there were a few Indian huts, and around them a small grove 



