44 
BLUEFIELDS. 
large flowers of a rich crimson hue and polished 
surface. The sheathing bases of the leaves form 
natural reservoirs for water; the rains and dews 
accumulating there in considerable quantities, and 
forming a resource for thousands of birds, and even 
for man himself, in the season of drought, and afibrd- 
ing retreats, always cool and moist, for those reptiles 
that respire through the skin. 
One of the largest trees on the hill of which I have 
been speaking was the Tropic Birch {Bursera gummi- 
fera), a tree not very common, but often attaining a 
giant bulk and height. It is less infested than many 
with these parasites, owing to the smoothness of its 
bark, which is glossy, and peels off in thin papery 
laminae, like the northern tree after which it is 
named. A clear resinous substance exudes from the 
trunk, which is viscid, and appears to possess many 
of the qualities of turpentine. 
THE SOLDIER CRAB. 
Among the loose pebbles that formed the surface 
of this hill, wherever the huge outcropping masses of 
rock did not appear, and that added to the difficulties 
of penetrating the maze, were many large shells. 
The first of these that I saw was a large round brown 
Snail {Helix Jamaicensis), and as its exterior was 
very fresh, I thought I had a prize ; but on taking it 
up, I saw the large claw of a Hermit-crab, red and 
tuberculous, closing up the orifice, which it exactly 
fitted. The negroes call these crabs Soldiers, per- 
haps from their red hue. Afterwards I saw other 
