MO 
A ll()]'i<](iii in ihc lV'(^s•^ hidlrs. 
makiiif^ the roads, whicli wei-e not entirely washed away, almost 
impassable : many of tliem we eventually found had entirely dis- 
appeared. We almost lost our vehicle early on, and two or three 
times had to cross swiftly flowing miniature rivers, where pre- 
viously there had been a good road, but of which tlier(^ was now 
no trace. We had some amusing incidents (see photos), and once 
we were literally in the mud, and had some difficulty in getting 
out. It would not have been so bad if tlie washing away of the 
roail had been uniform. At one time you would have one wheel 
almost high and dry, and the other in thn^e feet of mud and water. 
Eventually the vehicle was smashed up, and left a total wreck. As 
you will imagine during this journey 1 liad no time to look foi- 
birds, and when we landed at our Hotel we were ready for a bath. 
Dui-ing the next three days we had a quiet time, and then decided 
to have another try to reach Newcastle. This time we set out on 
polo ponies, very sure footed little animals, and although of the 
lean kind, are capable of far greater exertions than ours. As we 
gradually left the lowlands, where there were a few Finches, many 
birds were to be seen, the butterflies were busy visiting the 
flowers, and there were many birds on the lower reaches of the 
Hills : mostly doves, plovers, etc. One dainty little 
creature was the Orange and Black Warbler, a beautiful bird with 
very similar actions to our Lesser Whitethroat. The Long- tailed 
Humming Birds [Trochilas pulytmm) were very common. They 
are very beautiful as they move about in the bright sunshine. 
The two outer tail feathers are 7 inches long, plumage mostly 
black, green and gold. They make a very flue show as they flit 
from flower to flower, and were mostly seen on a bushy flowering 
shrub named Began villia, which is usually found growing on 
fences, verandahs, trees, etc., and is very effective with its masses 
of flowers. 
*Banana Birds {Icterus Icaco'pU'njx) were fairly numerous at 
an altitude of 1,000 feet. They are pretty birds ; their principal 
colours are black, yellow and white. They are similar in build to 
a Hangnest, but not so large, and in company with Blue Quits 
{Eupltoti id. j<(,inaica) a small Tanager, with blue upper, and yellow 
undei'parts, were feeding on a fruit called Guava, which is about 
the size of a walnut with a yellowish skin and pink inside, very 
similar in formation to a Gooseberry ; the bushes grow about seven 
* Pi/rrliii/tlin/iid JiiJiiaica. — B.M.C., En. 
