118 



A FLYING TRIP TO THE TROPICS. 



times was an almost metallic green with bright scarlet eyes, legs, 

 and bead-like markings, looking like a jeweler's design in emeralds 

 and rubies. 



In the neighborhood of Honda there is an upright cactus which 

 is used for hedges and fences, but which differs from the one used 

 for that purpose in Curagao. The latter is approximately circular 

 in cross section, but the former is star-shaped, that is, it has a small 

 circular core but wide radiating flanges, thus being very rigid and 

 at the same time light. Near Honda I also saw a cactus much like 

 the prickly pear, but its lobes were perfectly smooth and devoid of 

 thorns. It was clear and intensely hot. 



Wednesday, July 13, 1892. We stayed around the hotel the 

 greater part of the day, and did nothing in particular. In the af- 

 ternoon, Cabell and myself walked down to the river and watched 

 a man fish for a while, but he caught nothing. We saw in an 

 Indian's hut a domesticated bird called a " guacharaca." It was 

 about as large as our ruffed grouse, but had much longer tail, 

 legs, and neck, and a little head like a turkey's. Its plumage was 

 dark without distinctive markings, and it had a slight gular pouch. 

 This was an immature bird. The name " guacharaca," given to 

 this bird from its call, recalls at once the Mexican bird similarly 

 named, the " chachalaca." It was clear and hot. 



Thursday, July 14, 1892. Cabell and myself went out about 

 six this morning to the place where we went on Tuesday. We had 

 hardly reached the spot when we saw several fork-tailed flycatchers 

 [Milmdus tyrannus), and I shot a pair, male and female. Their 

 bodies are about the size and color of that of our kingbird, light 

 gray above, the head blackish with a concealed yellow patch. Their 

 flight is so graceful that they seem to float through the air. They 

 perch on the tops of small bushes, just as our kingbird does. A 

 little later Cabell shot a new dove, a male, about the size of our 

 Carolina dove, but with a short tail, reddish, the under tail-coverts 

 reddish, and two blue-black streaks on each side of the head {Ze- 

 naida ruficaiida, Bonaparte). He also shot a pair of the little 



