142 



A FLYING TRIP TO THE TROPICS. 



and of a deep pinkish red (Cohimha gymnoi^thalma). A little 

 farther on Cabell shot an oriole similar to the one we had killed 

 at Barranquilla. It was the size of our Baltimore oriole, brilliant 

 yellow, its throat, chin, spot from eye to beak, tail, and wings black, 

 wing with a white bar and many feathers edged with white, some 

 of the tail-feathers white tipped [Icterus xanthormis curasoensis, 

 Ridgw.). This was the bird that our guide had called a troupial 

 when we were here before. A little later Cabell shot another, which 

 was also a male, but was dull olive-yellow, darker on the tail and 

 wings and lighter below. We also got another mocking-bird and a 

 honey-creeper like the one that we killed before, but having its 

 throat and supra-orbital stripe yellow. 



From this place we crossed over to the seashore, where, on the 

 edge of some salt-pans, I shot a young male spotted sandpiper 

 [Actitis macular la). This was in the unspotted plumage, its breast 

 plain white. We saw very many humming-birds, but shot none, as 

 they were all of the same species as those that we had killed the day 

 before. We also saw in a mangrove swamp a pair of small herons, 

 which I took to be our green heron, a number of the medium-sized 

 doves, a medium-sized tern, apparently pure white, and a very small 

 one, white with a black crown. We reached the hotel before break- 

 fast, and afterwards skinned our birds. In the afternoon we went 

 for a long drive. I carried my camera and took a number of views. 

 We saw great numbers of humming-birds and ground doves, and 

 three partridges running along the road with their crests up. I 

 also saw several sparrow-hawks, and a hawk of much larger size 

 flying at a distance. 



Donkeys are used a great deal around Curagao. We saw many 

 men and women riding them, the women sitting astride of the little 

 animals, with their big toes thrust in loops of cord which served as 

 stirrups. It was partially cloudy and cool. 



Thursday, July 28, 1892. The Venezuela came in shortly after 

 daybreak this morning, so as soon as we were up we went over to 

 see our friends on board. After our return to the hotel I took my 



