OK TI1E DIABLOTIN IN' DOMINICA. 
37 
shade : it had sunk to G8° Fahr. by the time we had finished the 
“ajupa,” and toward morning the thermometer registered GG ; Fahr. 
'J’lie Commodore, Dr. Borne, and I, felt comfortable in our 
blankets, but the wind howled most dismally, and that, combined 
with the groaning of our poor followers, prevented us getting 
much sleep. 
At day-break of the 15th we roused the men, sent the two 
woodsmen to continue cutting on the upward track, and two men 
down the mountain to a water hole, which we had scratched out 
on our way up. We were more fortunate in our attempt to make 
a fire, and managed to get a cup of cocoa. 
Then wo started for the top of the mountain. The last 700 feet 
was very arduous, for we were seldom stepping on the ground, but 
from root to root or from branch to branch. It was in holes under 
these roots, that wo were assured the Diablotin formerly nested. 
When wo had reached what proved afterwards to be about 
80 or 100 feet from tho top, our guides told us that we had entirely 
passed beyond the zone that was formerly occupied by the 
Diablotin. 
I therefore retraced my steps, leaving Commodore Markham 
and Dr. Borne to reach the summit, which they did ; and during 
the twenty minutes they remained on the top they enjoyed several 
good views, through rifts in the clouds and mist, of both sides of 
the island. Hurrying back as rapidly as 1 could descend, swinging 
myself from branch to branch, I reached the Diablotin ground 
with two men and three cur dogs. We stooped and crawled along 
under the roots, and along the steep sides of the mountains, the 
dogs smelling at every hole. My companions had been experienced 
Diablotin chasseurs, and they showed me the holes, like disused 
rabbit burrows, from whence they had extracted these birds in 
former years. 
The ground was not rocky, indeed, I saw no trace of rock 
exposure. It appeared to be a rich mould, from which the trees 
were springing, and in many cases the earth had been washed away 
from their roots ; and most of the disused burrows shown me had 
been worked into the side of the hill, under the protection of the 
roots. In all probability, the openings to more exposed burrows 
had been obliterated by the constant rain-fall. It seems very 
extraordinary that a Petrel should select its breeding haunts in 
