shit 4 +4 4) Mie Adal pins miytlhe Mga ab a Vf an a eyeM rte phe wt hoe eet shih aot 4-7 Hay 4 than Titan peat AOUt Toe ane Ag pad yates aby htt ee Nae Serer sPopeaet osehal bem TR Rashenpryeeryhd peed ofr} bat Darn arte Biber coh ee 4 sign Hit at Ar Mi le ie gird Lt se sae) bie hae He an Heat ie ie vi frst + gas seat ae yy sisvouennbeteheto7n jsorbatets ia ah Fatt alec tes ew yetands abshcteieoroneetet itporsist ot ¢ \ base aegeeent anny pee Wet pe pen bap peeeys sph lat ah pt 4b) bus fepninedtt Felis pate rhe te yeh sh ve pdt yee uhh \e itabet a yah bial aber ined us Lathes ibite poh thes rt slat iy Dae He } } ahey. Wa eal ai ia Wee padae ne MT sa) Seah LLP bine es neta ’ Wer ay piety? Wideol Ate aut tie doh 09 be Wie i} ioe basi ity + Miki thee) abe hol hal Hees sh aay 4 yu ; i sinh Ry itt ie Wie iri abides seni En 190) Mb ty epee Bier payers eile f Pp mbeeerte ard yan) pe apeatey nee ee Gh Winn i ' ra ee piety a neth wales shen 6 4 eae ‘ Wc his: WY lon. iyliby Pay Ys N inti e: wh ebi ye tech oh MY 1 TQYy A rane pesrar't SH theadtl PP ail ew ta sheds ag ty! piney Dime thbsbeh A at Pi iath bad aa Moabeb ol zi oh Nod sities ALM pe ae A Aili ’ i ple of ffs strc rl Fienled ba th fits a) hye Ba ‘ tHe rr Mi ; joa pet} meidtiaini val paeiet +h! Auritl vagal pad wal ty) oh HH ¥ iJ oa x) oF swe! wih Ai LB ods Virgen see Ah 5508 4 eh bay ue He TY speek ee 5 4 ; TD hisael obecet ate ayy “dt +94) ay hpeal +, ccwpnenet hye ost tb mils Wie? Weisda Asi He sil edhe len sd andy pevies! erry Wy) ify: i mia (id iase ie u) hi ae LM etd ie 34 heed tae gre * peeve Ee he ‘ } ‘} ane iw ise i 183 ts th iy \ yan aigaatl sie ig jee ties vest ‘ ait as 112 ue m abe erat) viaspsgaedel he (3 ¥. rth titra hit athe Fabs ait 1 ee hes vo Aa rate iat “ nytt Were riot| priors biel : Np peg 5 | yatta bse igvle *) © ‘ey Paty S8) Hi ] el? shes aw “'? teint ett 1 ry thy Peep Motil Rent sie ay if) tt ran ratey MH it's Hi tala ir cae Curt : Vesis tet ee + yaar ee: nity if fa ree say) ae He} sl ae rts ia + detest fash Pani 4-008 HY ta i tig aise ha Pvt Leidt abe te 4 ant pitt Tetra ve in is vi ay 4 inet Bod Hf OY se Aa vi brite 37% ca vty * sree tthe Maladies ayers tepeen bop carte ai ob 4 a payah Peeters ibel th Tadenisiads a er abe . hbachabbeae sh anew 10 ioe fae i) +4 be Dee waa Higa eias Is anda H | fe sit lgometilt 4 hele ty Pied reve td weer whip meriee li rt yandeae tsi 4 em? 14) hi nd LPO lama al et ned gE Hy SE Hery ath Lit ais vd ae) ian nan ne Peet haya tks » tt vit he ve iat seh he a aye) Kye) “ ohvlad Meet . ie mprorneys yeh peared ply oe} tau eh iy HOE i sotsaloe 1) pod ny srt Fo eh Pe boi né ot eek +f) sho Ca “ i eye yy aFetategtely in} Pho ba vtked rat at > abe noel ard iN it +e qahiay vue teh a4 a i a fs ie sar vipa " Pe a ond el HPs} iad eo ety i? evel vet trie i “ aii thet fa At ee ise + Siohiereribeate heey’ tessen Tsay byt nee > daa hs S54 a byte dy belt | 4eline peeepenel abe anny: Hee ne) oh poaiben st seegegeliatee 2: “A aye I ae dye oe + * evry oe as att + it erate cit tech Maen if ot bi fet stent aed ishoei Hp itin Me ca sashst 94 perro ge ryTtetiry dg repe tia y gue feat tds tne Ee saqupet ger ao shor eperse aie event Haharigns Aeneas a “he ba dtedee Upesy ov aie payee’ 91 ibaa sip " aaa! ¥ ye slaty i balfivt 1 hens Lb hy! bola Te a 4b» nih tat rel Reiger rihie eae ohare ajo 498 ip ore OY hatin epee: ¥ ay) inh bees e) ihet i ‘f ph Vvithiet ie ilies . ot fee Ga " pba rt ent. viet ewe Nyilaegryshid aie OO 4%) nminications and Exchan es intended for the Club ' should be addressed mia tie | Monorary Secretary, Port-of- = on Trinidal, BIW.L, dey lei ae Lah eri. 6d. Aaa ents Ghiseription, 3}. Vol. 2. Sime 1894. No. I. Frengage donc tous a éviter dans leurs écrits toute personnalité, toute allusion dépassant les limites de la discussion la plus sincére et la ae 5 couvioise—ILABOULBENE Mubtteation Comrittes : H. CARACCIOLO, F.E.S., President. P. CARMODY, F.LC.,F.C.S.; .SYL: DEVENISH, M.A. B. N. RAKE, M.D, R. R. MOLE, F. W. URICH, F-.E.S., Hon. Secretary. ere II CONTENTS: ae Report of Club Meetings— February ... aie ne a a3 I March ... a oe + si 2 Gotpney Prize Competition—Remaining Papers— Notes by the Wayside oa ses 4 A Ramble on « Cocoa Estate ves 17 Protection of Wild Birds “a a ie ie 20 _In Memoriam—-Mr. George Vahl... see maw 24 “* MIRROR” Office, Port-of-Spain. #2 All Communications and Exchanges intended for the Club should be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, b.W.T. JOURNAL OF THE Field Naturaligts’ Club. Worn 2. APRIL, 1894. No. 1. REPORT OF CLUB MEETINGS. 2np Fepruary, 1894. PRESENT: Mr. H. Caracciolo, President; Messrs. W. E. Broadway, Charles Libert, T. I. Potter, J. Russell Murray, H. J. Baldamus, T. W. Carr, Henry Tate, R. R. Mole, and F. W. Urich, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. The following gentlemen were elected Town Members of the Club: Hon. Dr. Lovell, C.M.G., Messrs. J. Graham Taylor, P. Taaffe O'Connor and H. A. Aleazar. Mr. Mole read a paper on “ A Visit to the High-woods of Caparo,” which described lappe, agouti and quenk hunting as carried on in the forests of Trinidad. The President showed specimens of a mealy bug, Dactylopius sp. affecting coffee, and a peculiar Mantis. He also made some remarks on a tick found on cattle in the neighbourhood of Port-of-Spain which had been determined as Rhipicephalus americanus (Marx).. Messrs. Mole and Urich laid on the table a Preliminary List of Trinidad reptiles showing a total of 73 species viz: Tortoises res ee Jet 7 species Alligators oe a - ] - Lizards bi: a an 2] ~ Snakes eR: iS AG: 34 BS Frogs and toads ... Bs: see 10 73 species The compilation of this list had been the work of the last four years and there were still a great many mere species to he added, Mr. Urich stated that the list was drawn up in the 2 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD same style and with the same intention as the Preliminary list of the Mammals published by Mr. Oldfield Thomas sometime ago. The Reptile list had been compiled from all accessible literature and records based upon many specimens collected by Mr. Mole and himself and it would be found that a great many of them were thus recorded for the first time from Trinidad. The total number of species at present was only 73 but there was every probability that when certain specimens, recently despatched to Europe, were identified that this figure would be considerably increased. On the other hand there were in the list the names of certain snakes recorded from Trinidad at the British Museum, and elsewhere, the occurrence here of which appeared to be exceedingly doubtful. They had refrained from giving any decision in this list as their experience in Reptiles was a very short one—and new species were turning up now and again. It was exceedingly difficult to say positively that such and such a species did not occur in a certain country and as an illustration of this. he would mention that it took 50 years of careful record to establish the fact that Vip2rus berws, the common English viper, did not occur in a certain district in Germany. The list was long and as it only consisted of a number of names it was unnecessary to read it. It would be published in the Journal when it would be better understood. In answer to certain recent criticisms he would point out that it was the duty of the Club to obtain correct lists as far as possible of the fauna of the Island and that such lists were of much value scientifically.—Mr. Tate presented some copies of the Annual Report of the Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club and the Irish Naturalist and said during his recent absence from the Island he had seen several members of the Belfast Field Club and they would be glad to exchange proceedings. The Jrish Naturalist would prove very useful to any members who sub- scribed to it.—The question whether the Club should subscribe was referred to the Business Committee.—After deciding that members should be asked to send in proposals for excursions to be considered at the next nonthly meeting the Club adjourned at 9.30 p.m. The additions to the Club collection since last meeting are: A banded tree snake locally called ‘“ Lora”—Ahetulla liocercus—presented by the Rev. Father Clunes, Princes Town, and an “American Barn owl” Strix pratinicola from River Estate, Diego Martin, presented by Mr. E. West Lack. Marcu 2np, 1894. PRESENT - Mr. H. Caracciolo, President ; Sir John Tankerville Goldney, Professor Carmody, Dr. Rake, Messrs. T. I. Potter, T, W. Carr, A. B. Carr, W. 8. Tucker, W. E, Broadway, John > FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 3 Hoadley, 8. A. Cumberland, Alfred Taitt, Henry Tate, R. R. Mole and F. W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. Mr. Ponsonby (London) Rev. E. D. Wright (late Jamaica), Mr. G. A. Urich and Master Rake were the visitors present. The following elections took place: Honorary member: Professor C, V. Riley, Washington ; Town members: Hon. G. L. Garcia, Drs. G. 8. Seecombe and E. Prada, Rev. J. Williams, B.A., Messrs. E. C. Wilson, Leon Agostini, J. T. Rousseau, V. L. Wehekind, Carl Saurmann, Jules Anduze, J. R. Llafitios.— Notes from the Jamaica Institute were read by the Secretary.—Dr. Rake read a paper upon ‘“ The Schizomycetes” and illustrated it with a number of cultures of bacteria and slides; amougst them one of leprosy bacilli by Mr. Andrew Pringle was conspicuous ; these were shown under microscopes and lent additional interest to a highly instructive paper, which the author explained with many drawings on the blackboard. At the conclusion a unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. Rake for his paper.—_Mr. Potter read a few notes on, and exhibited specimens of, a borer found destroying cacao trees at St. Ann’s.— Mr. A. B. Carr also showed some borers from Caparo ; one iooking very much like the Xyleborus perforans had killed five cacao trees. The other was found in a dead tree but it was doubtful whether it was the cause of the tree dying. Mr. Carr also placed on the table horns of two species of Trinidad deer—one being of Cariacus nemorivagus, (F. Cuy.) and the other undetermined ; also the skull of a quenk (peccary— Dicotyles labiatus Cuv.)—Dr. Rake exhibited a young tree porcupine, Synetheres prehensilis (Linn.) also a species of Lycopodium found growing at Carenage.—The President showed a specimen of lantern fly from Maracas and made some remarks on the light these insects are supposed to emit.—A species of bat Chiroderma villosum (Peters) was also exhibited.—Mr. Urich laid on the table, on behalf of Mr. J. Guilbert, a nest of the corn bird Ostinops decumanus (Pall) and a locust said to be injurious to young cacao.—The President mentioned that mole crickets were injurious to cacao nurseries by eating away the tap roots.—The Rey. E. D. Wright made some remarks on //ypolimnas misippus and pointed out differences in the females of this butterfly found here and in Jamaica.—Mr. 8. A. Cumberland showed a young alligator caught by himself on the Caroni after a terrific struggle in which he received many and very serious wounds, and read a few humorous notes thereon.—The additions to the Club collection since last meeting are: A Sphinx Moth, presented by the Rev. Father Clunes, Princes Town; three caterpillars and a beetle presented by the Rey. C. H. Stoker, Tunapuna ; a caterpillar presented by the Rev. E. F. Tree, Couva, —The meeting closed at 10.15 p.m, 4 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD CLUB PAPERS. THE GOLDNEY PRIZE COMPETITION. NOTES BY THE WAYSIDE. HER Eis perhaps no locality in the neighbourhood of Port-of- Spain which is more easily accessible or more likely to yield good results to lovers of Natural History than the vicinity of St. Ann’s Valley. It was here that the writer of the following notes, and another member of the Club, elected to spend an off day in the early part of last year. A pleasant ride by one of the morning trams brought us very close to the scene of our day’s work and pleasure, for Natural History means both to those who are really interested in it. Passing rapidly along over the first few hundred yards of the well kept road, bordered by grassy Savannas in which graze the ugly Indian buffaloes and sleepy but graceful young zebus, the off-spring of a stock which a paternal government has successfully introduced to improve the breed of ‘Trinidad cattle, we could not but admire the clumps of bamboo* which adorn the banks of the Dry River and the high ground behind, still crowned by the ruins of the residence of the old Spanish Governors. Near the back of the Lunatic Asylum we crossed the fence separating the Savanna from the road and then the bed of the river, which was as dry as possible, though, probably, a week before the course of a raging torrent of storm-water, as perhaps it would be again to-morrow. The wire fence which divides the Savanna from the thick brush-wood covering the North-eastern part of the hillside, first attracted our notice. Several large black antst were on the wires and _ uprights, busily running backwards and forwards in quest of food but what that food consisted of we could not then spare the time to discover. A little further along upon one of the wooden posts of the fence we founda small centipede.t His great length and enormous number of legs, extraordinary even in a centipede, attracted more than usual attention. He appeared to be in trouble, for strange to say, even centipedes have their trials and do not always find the world “all beer and skittles’—perhaps it would be more correct to say ‘all cockroaches and rotten wood.” *Bambusa vulgaris SCHRAD. |Cryptocerus atratus. }Geophilus sp. FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 5 Really, when one enquires into the life-history of the centipede, he is after all not nearly the desperate ruffian which mankind makes him out to be. His is a very inoffensive life and one which is devoted to doing good service to the human race, in that he makes constant war upon the cockroaches which devour our clothing and contaminate with their filthy smell our food. True the centipede boasts a pair of sharp claws which nature has endowed with poisonous properties, but he rarely uses them, except in self-defence, just as we should use our fists if we were hurt or molested when about the duties of daily life and no Policeman is athand. Like many other things the poor centipede, because of an uncanny appearance (his numerous legs and segmented body) has only to show himself and he is greeted with cries of “Centipede ! St. Peter !! St. Paul!!!” for popular superstition believes that the invocation of these Saints has a paralyzing effect upon his poor hundred legs as they hurry him over the floor in search of the seclusion of a dark hole, and so give his arch-enemy, Man, time to get a weapon with which to despatch him. But centipedes have other foes besides mankind—the fowls, the ants and the toads, and, as we have said before, this poor fellow was in the greatest trouble. A long thin white worm nearly as longagain as its victim, was inserting itself into the poor arthroped, which did not seem able to defend itself at all. We watched the struggle afew moments and then both centipede and parasite were consigned to spirits for examination at some more convenient time. Before we leave centipedes, however, it is interesting to note that the popular superstition in Trinidad with regard to centipedes and scorpions, is that the former “stings” with the two large claws in the last segment of the body, and the scorpion “ bites” with the pincer claws. As it happens the facts are just the reverse, the centipede bites with the poison claws directly under its head, and the scorpion “stings” with the sharp sting on the final joint of the tail. There was a bare chance of finding out what the black ants were after and where their nest was, so we ascended the hill a few yards further and finally found the rotten remnants of a tree trunk. Rotten logs are oftentimes rich harvest fields to entemo- logical collectors, and forthwith we began to turn over, to cut up, and otherwise examine them. Our first find was one of those small short-tailed ground snakes,* which are said to prey exclu- sively on insects, but which always seem to have empty stomachs whenever they are examined, so that it is somewhat of a puzzle how they do get their living, though their jaws appear to be fit for nothing else but the capture of minute worms, molusks, or * Geophis lineatus, 6 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD insects. One thing however is well known about them, and that is they are a favourite article in the diet of the coral snakes.* The specimen was bagged as a matter of course, for no doubt he would be welcomed, only too warmly, by the Elaps in the glass box at home. These logs appeared to be rather the reverse of rich in insect life, however, for with the exception of one or two cockroaches—has it ever occurred to a member of the Club what @ number of species there are in this Island ?—and one or two spirally shaped snails+ there was little else. But stricter search revealed the horny elytra of a beetle, which probably came to an untimely end, also one or two of the ants locally known as tick-tackst from the snapping noise they make with their jaws. My companion wished to obtain some males and females of this species and so we persevered and presently, turning over another fragment of the trunk, we came upon the whole nest. At the risk of many a bite we picked up the winged individuals— wings are one of the distinguishing features of the males and females—the workers or neuters being destitute of these appendages. Although we looked carefully we were not able to find the Queen-ant needed to complete the series in my companion’s collection. While taking the ants we noticed a peculiar habit in them, which we have not hitherto seen recorded—when threatened with a stick, or the point of a cutlass they have a trick of jumping backwards with a sharp jerky movement. A little further on we found, on the under side of a piece of bamboo, a land planaria, a slug-like-looking animal, which preys on land snails and whose methods of dealing with these unfortunate molusks has been so ably described by Dr. von Kennel in his Biological and Faunistic notes on Trinidad. The extract was reprinted in a recent number of the Journal. But we had stayed long enough on the hill-side and we felt we must get on to Fonds Amandes to begin our excursion in real earnest, so we quickly regained the road and hurrying past the little hamlet and over the tiny stream crossing the road, we stopped to look for a moment at the shoals of small fish$ swimming merril in the still waters on either side of our path; and tried to find an eel, but without success, though they are oftentimes to be seen there. All Communications and Exchanges intended for the Club should be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, B.W.1. OU RNGEL OF THE Field Naturalists’ Club. VEE. Er. JUNE, 1894. No. 2. REPORT OF CLUB MEETINGS. 6TH ApRIL, 1894. RESENT: Mr. Henry Caracciolo (President), Lieut.-Colonel Wilson, C.M.G., Sir John Goldney, Messrs. R. J. L. Guppy, T. I. Potter, C. J. Thavenot, T. W. Carr, J. R. Llanos, Sy). Devenish, M.A., J. Hoadley, J. Russell Murray, C. W. Scott, W. E. Broadway, R. R. Mole, and F. W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. The following elections took place: Rev. E. D. Wright, Corres- ponding Member; Rev. E. J. Holt, Messrs. James Miller and Arthur Gaywood, Town Members.—Lieut.-Colonel Wilson read some ‘‘ Notes on Camping Out, Fishing and Cariboo Shooting in New Brunswick,” in the course of which the author gave a graphic account of birch bark canoeing upon Canadian rivers, lynx and bear hunting, trout and salmon fishing, beaver trapping and cariboo shoo‘ing. The notes also contained descriptions of the dress, the snow shoes and the sleighs of hunters in the Canadian wilds, and the severity of the cold was also commented upon. Sir John Goldney proposed a vote of thanks to Colonel Wilson, which was seconded by Mr. Devenish.-—Mr. J. Russell Murray made some remarks upon the larvee of some lepidop- terous insect he found destroying the bark of cocoa trees, but owing to an accident was unable to show the insect, which he had succeeded in breeding.—The President pointed out how the opinion expressed by the Club’s Borer Com- mittee had been borne out by the subsequent investigations of Mr. Hopkins (published in Insect Life, Vol. vi., No. 2), 26 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD and Mr. Massee of Kew.—Mr. Urich made some remarks about his recent stay at Caparo with Messrs. Brewster and Chapman.— A large number of bats as well as some feeti of various mammals were exhibited by the President.—Mr. Urich said in a recent excursion he managed to find two specimens of the only sweet water bivalve found in Trinidad, viz., Anodon leotaudi, Guppy, in a small brook in the far interior. Of this shell Mr. Lechmere Guppy wrote in a paper on the moluska of Trinidad, published some time ago, “I have never been able to obtain more than two or three specimens.”—-The meeting adjourned at 10.15 p.m. 4rH May, 1894. Peete Mr. H. Caracciolo (President), Sir John Goldney, Dr. Rrke, Messrs. Syl. Devenish, M.A., T. I. Potter, Charles Libert, Arthur Gaywood, G. J. Reed, H. J. Baldamus, 8. A. Cumberland, T. W. Carr, W. E. Broadway, and F. W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. Mr. William Brewster, of Cambridge, Mass., was elected an Honorary Member of the Club.—The President read a few ‘ Notes on some Trinidad Bats” which contained much original observation on the habits of some of our species. A large number of stuffed specimens were shown to illustrate the paper. At its conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Caracciolo and an animated discussion ensued in which all the members present took part.—Sir John Goldney gave a graphic account of the habits of the large fruit-eating bats of the Straits Settlements, which served for interesting comparisons with our species.—Mr, Cumberland read some notes on a large Boa constrictor he had poisoned. This reptile resisted a dose of prussic acid and it was a dose of strychnine that put an end tc it. The specimen, which was shown, measured alive 10 feet more or less, but skinned it was 13 feet long—Mr. Potter made some observations on Trinidad orchids, of which several species were exhibited.—Mr. Cumberland made some remarks upon a live specimen of the two toed sloth, Cholepus didactylus, Linn., from Venezuela, which he had brought to the meeting. This mammal is in Mr. Oldfield Thomas’s list as having been recorded in Trinidad by Ledru in 1810, but it certainly does not occur in the Island, and no doubt the specimen recorded came from Venezuela.—Mr. Potter drew attention to the nests of the caterpillars of a Hydrias sp. found at Monos.—The meeting closed at 9.30 p.m. FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. oT CLUB PAPERS. THE SCHIZOMYCETES. By Braven Rake, M.D. (Lonp.) UR knowledge of bacteria has advanced so rapidly during the last twenty years, that there is a danger that in this as in all good movements enthusiasts may claim too much, and that over-zeal on the part of some may bring bacteriology into dis- repute. I refer to a tendency which exists to immediately discover a specific germ for every known disease. That this is premature will appear in the course of this paper, but there is no doubt that an intelligent study of bacteria is of the greatest importance to the physician, the surgeon, the farmer, the manu- facturer, and indeed to all who are concerned with the lives of animals or vegetables. It therefore seemed that the subject was not unsuitable for the consideration of the Field Naturalists’ Club. The discovery of micro-organisms is no new thing. In 1683 the Dutch observer Leeuwenhoeck described organisms in saliva and putrid water, probably corresponding with what are now recognized as vibrio and leptothrix. For the next two centuries these organisms were the subject of much controversy. At one time they were regarded as animals, at another time as vegetables, while some observers doubted whether they were alive. In 1773 Muller suggested a classification and others followed his example during the first half of this century. To Cohn, however, belongs the credit of first satisfactorily classifying the bacteria in 1872 and recognizing their position in the vegetable kingdom. But the twenty years which have elapsed since Cchn’s researches have brought about a further change of opinion as to the position and classification of bacteria. They are now regarded as belonging to the Schizomycetes or fission-fungi which come under the achlorophyllous division of the class protophyta of the group thallophytes. In other words bacteria are minute cellular plants, which increase chiefly by division and are without chlorophyll. Owing to this absence of chlorophyll bacteria are unable to split up carbon dioxide into its elements, like the higher vegetable cells, but on the other hand they differ from animal cells by being able to obtain their nitrogen from ammonia compounds. Nencki 28 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD has shown that active bacteria contain 83.42 per cent. of water, while in the dried state they consist of A nitrogenous body called mycoprotein ... 84.20 Pat..é ss va Sy a Ash ee : oe .. se Undetermined substances ae en OB In structure bacteria consist of a cell wall which can be shown by the action of iodine to consist of cellulose, and cell contents which yield mycoprotein. In some species this is homo- geneous, in others granular. Sometimes the power of retaining certain aniline stains is present, but not always. This is of great importance in determining the nature of some bacilli, for example, those of tuberculosis and leprosy. In some bacteria the cell protoplasm contains starch granules as in Clostridium butyricum; in others, such as Beggiatoa, sulphur is present. In the latter organism the cells also contain a special pigment bacterio-purpurin. In other cases the pigment granules are outside the cells as in Bacterium prodigiosum, while in Bacillus pyocyaneus the pigment is partly within and partly outside the cells. Many species of bacteria are provided with a gelatinous envelope, the result of either secretion from the cell or absorption of moisture and swelling of the outer layer of the celi wall. When this gelatinous material forms a matrix in which numbers of bacteria are congregated it is called a zooglea. This zooglea condition is a resting stage of the organism. The forms of bacteria as will be shown presently are very various and have given rise to no little controversy. With regard to the reproduction of bacteria, though, as implied by the name Schizomycetes, the characteristic mode of increase is by fission, there are other processes which resemble fructification. These are divided into two groups distinguished - by the formation of endospores and arthrospores. In endospore formation the protoplasm becomes granular, and at certain points in the chain of rods specks appear which gradually develop into highly refractive circular or oval bodies. After a time the cell walls and protoplasm disappear and the spores are set free. This is well seen in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus anthracis. In arthrospore formation as seen in Lewconostoc mesenteroides certain elements in the chain of cocci, apparently not differing from the rest, enlarge, and the walls become tougher and more refractive. The remaining cells die, and these enlarged cells are set free as spores capable of reproducing the growth in suitable soil, FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 29 Spore formation has net yet been observed in all bacteria, hence one of the chief difficulties in the way of a scientific classification. Spores are invested with a thick membrane and are far more resistent to the action of chemical reagents and heat than the parent cells. They also retain their vitality when dried. This is a point of great practical importance. ‘To destroy spores, infected articles such as clothes must be raised to a much higher temperature than that necessary to destroy bacteria. Again, in the preparation of sterilized media, the test tubes must be heated onseveralconsecutive days in order to kill successive crops of spores. It is probable that spore formation is not due to exhaustion of the nourishing soil and consequent provision for the perpetuation of the species as has been supposed by some. It is more likely that it is a result of free access of oxygen. Anthrax bacilli have been found in the soil where bodies of animals dead of anthrax have been buried, and thus a real danger to the community arises. Klein, however, has pointed out that if mice and guinea pigs which have died of anthrax are kept unopened, the bacilli degenerate and disappear. Infection of a: burial ground must therefore result from the interment of bodies of animals in which necropsies have been made, or in which the ~ hides have been soiled with excretions or blood. The practical lesson to be learned is the same in either case, that all animals dead of any suspicious disease should be at once cremated. T may state here that a series of observations which I made on the earth over the graves of lepers or where pieces of leprous tissue had been interred gave negative results. The classification of bacteria like that of many other groups of plants and animals is still in a transition state, but pro- visionally the classification suggested by Zopf may be accepted as a good one for working purposes. He divides the Schizomycetes as follows : Groupe I.— Coccacee. —Cocci and 3. Vibrio. thread-forms resulting from jux- 4. Leuconostoc. taposition of cocci. Fission in 5. Bacillus. one or more directions. 6. Clostridium. Genus 1. Streptococcus. Group IIL. — Lepiotrichee. — Cocci, 2. Micrococcus. rods and thread forms. Dis- 3. Merismopedia. tinction between base and apex 4. Sarcina. in latter. 5. Ascococcus. GENUS I. Leptothrix. Group II. — Lacteriacee. — Cocci, 2. Beggiatoa. rods andthread-forms. No dis- | 3. Crenothrix. tinction between base and apex) 4. Phragmidiothrix. in latter. Fission in one direc-| Group IV. —Cladstrichcec. — Cocci, tion. rods, spirals andthread forms. The Genus 1. Bacterium. latter with false branchings. 2. Spirillum. Genus 1. Cladsthrix, 30 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD Before noticing the genera mentioned in this table a few remarks may be made on some practical points connected with bacteria. One of the most interesting and important of these is the question of pleomorphism. In Cohn’s first classification mentioned above he divided bacteria into four groups : 1. Sphero-bacteria ; globules (micrococcus. ) 2. Micro-bacteria ; short rods (bacterium. ) 3. Desmo-bacteria ; long rods (bacillus and vibrio. ) 4, Spiro-bacteria ; spirals (spvrocheete and spirillum.) Billroth in 1874 opposed this division and went to the other extreme. He regarded all Cohn’s forms as developmental forms of one micro-organism which he called Coccobacteria septica. In 1875 Cohn answered Billroth, still maintaining that distinct genera and species existed. He produced a second classification, placing the bacteria under a new group, the Schizophytes, and adding several genera. Our present knowledge admits a mean between the extreme views of Cohn and Billroth. We now accept the doctrine of pleomorphism which was to some extent anticipated by Lister in 1873 after observations on a bacterium in milk, but was first definitely formulated by Lankester in the same year after his researches on beggiatoa to be referred to later. He says: “The existence of true species of bacteria must be characterized, not by the simple form features used by Cohn, but by the ensemble of their morphological and physiological properties, as exhibited in their complete life-histories.” This theory of pleomorphism has since been abundantly confirmed by the researches of Neelsen and Cienkowski on the bicillus of blue milk, of Zopf on beggiatoa and cladsthrix, of Van Tieghem on clostridium, and of others. It has the merit of being simp’e and at the same time rational. We should not think of separating a fern into two species because the young fronds differ in shape from those of the fully grown plant, nor should we suppose that the common holly contains two species, because the leaves at the base are prickly for purposes of defence, while those at the top of the tree are plain. Neither would anyone imagine that the ewly cotyledons of a plant just emerging from the soil represent a species distinct from the fully developed plant, because the latter shows totally different leaves and stem. And yet, to compare small things with great, those who made the above gross mistakes would not be much more ridiculous than those who tr'ed to divide bacteria by absolute morphological characters. Science is always slow to give names, and provi- FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 31 sionally we must accept Zopf’s classification which is based on the theory of pleomorphism. We must, however, clearly recognise that while a bacterium can change its form it cannot change its nature, and be converted from a harmless into a pathogenic form, as was asserted by Buchner. This theory has been disproved by Koch and Klein. The most important practical question which arises with reference to any micro-organism is whether it is pathogenic or capable of invading and multiplying in living tissues, thus pro- ducing disease in man or animals, or whether it is non-pathogenic or saprophytic, i.e., only able to develop on dead tissue, and therefore found in sloughs and discharges. To determine this point Koch has laid down the following four postulates :— 1. The micro-organism must be found in the blood, lymph or tissues of the diseased man or animal. 2. The micro-organisms must be isolated from the blood, lymph or tissues, and cultivated on suitable media outside the body. These cultivations must be carried on through successive generations. 3. A pure cultivation thus obtained must when introduced into the body of a healthy animal produce the disease in question. 4. In the inoculated animal the same micro-organism must again be found. These postulates have been fulfilled in the case of certain diseases which attack animals, such as anthrax, glanders, tuber- culosis and malignant cedema. In human diseases there is an obvious difficulty in the last two postulates which involve inocu- lation of a healthy human subject. In such cases we have to be content with experiments on animals, but here we are faced by the difficulty that certain diseases such as leprosy are not found in the lower animals. Lastly a few words may be said on the distribution of bacteria outside the animal body. They are found in earth, air, and water. Portions of garden mould taken from the surface and dropped into sterilized culture fluid always infect it, producing a culture of cocci and bacilli. In winter Koch has found that all organisms are absent at a depth of one metre, in soil which has not been recently disturbed, which does not consist largely of decomposing material, and into which there is no unusual soakage of water. Recent researches have shown that bacteria play an important part in the nitrification of soil. As these bacteria are chiefly found near the surface, the necessity at once becomes apparent, in agricultural operations, of frequently forking over the soil round the roots of trees or plants. In air bacteria usually occur attached to particles of dust. 32 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD Perfectly still air becomes pure by subsidence of these particles. Bacteriological examination of air over the surface of the liquid in main sewers has shown an absence of bacteria. All water except from great depths contains bacteria. Rain water becomes contaminated from the dust which it carries down, while surface water is infected from the ground through which it soaks. The risk of contamination of well water and river water by bacteria derived from sewage is obvious. Even sea-water is not free. Dr. Bassenge of the Stosch shewed me cultivations which he had made from water taken at various depths in the Atlantic Ocean. From the above considerations it is evident that the bodies of man and the lower animals are always exposed to the danger of infection, and that many bacteria enter every day in food or water, or attached to dust are swallowed, inhaled, or brought in eontact with open wounds or sores on the surface of the body. The aim of preventive medicine therefore should be not only to destroy bacteria whenever possible, but also by attention to the ordinary rules of health, to diminish the receptivity of the in- dividual. For we cannot but believe that bacteria will continue to exist in spite of all our eiforts to exterminate them. I propese now very briefly to examine the various groups and genera set forth in the classification of Zopf. I have for the most yart followed Crookshank’s descriptions, Group 1.—Coccacee. This possesses only cocci and thread-forms resulting from the juxtaposition of cocci. Fission may occur in one or more direc- tions. Five genera are included in this group :— 1.—Streptococceus.—These are known as chain-cocci, because the individuals always or occasionally remain united together to form chains. Division is in one direction only. Numerous species of streptococcus are described, many of which are associated with disease in man or animals, though to what extent this relation is pathogenic has yet to be determined. In this family occur the many forms of streptococcus pyogenes so frequently found in the pus of abscesses. Many of them are readily recognizable by the naked eye from the resemblance of the colonies which grow in glycerine agar to drops or streaks of o'l paint of various colours. Other species have been described in connection with erysipelas, diphtheria, puerperal fever, endo- cirditis and several other human diseases, and also in many dis- eases of the lower animals such as swine erysipelas, cattle-plague, foot and mouth disease, disease of grey parrots, and the ‘“‘flacherie,” of silk worms FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 313) 2. Merismopedia. These are also called plate cocci from the fact that they divide in two directions forming lamelle or plates. Most of the members of this genus are saprophytic. One species, Micrococcus tetragonus, found in tubercular cavities and sputum is saprophytic in man, but pathogenic in the lower animals, causing death in guinea pigs and mice in from two to ten days. 3. Sarcina. The genus Sarcina is characterized by division in three directions forming colonies in cubes or packets. Hence these are called packet-cocci. They are all unassociated with disease. The best known is the Sarecina ventriculi described by Goodsir of Edinburgh in 1842. These cocci occur in groups of four or multiples of four producing packets with rounded off corners like bales of cotton. They are found in the stomach of man and animals in health and disease. 4, Micrococcus. This genus is characterized by division in one direction. The cocci after division may remain aggregated in irregular heaps, and are therefore called mass cocci. They never form chains. There are several species of micrococcus and some of them are found associated with scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough and other diseases in man, but none of them have ever been proved to be the cause of these diseases. Koch however, has shown that certain micrococci produce septicemia, pyemia and progressive suppuration in rabbits, and Klein has described a coccus which gives rise to pyzemia in mice, 5. Ascococcus. The individual cocci are like micrococci, but they grow in characteristic gelatinous pellicles, and are hence called pellicle-cocci. Only one species is known, Ascococcus billrothii. On the surface of nutrient media these cocci form a cream-like skin, made up of an enormous number of globular or oval families, each of which is surrounded by a thick capsule of cartilaginous consistency. Groupe Il. Bacteriacee. This group possesses mostly cocci, straight or bent rods, and straight or spiral thread-forms. The cocci may be absent. The thread-forms present no difference between base and apex. Fission occurs only in one direction. There are six genera in the group, 1. Bacterium. This genus is characterized by cocci and rods or only rods, which are joined together to form threads. Spcre formation is absent or unknown. ‘The absence of spore formation is now used to distinguish bacteria from bacilli, The arbitrary 34 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD division according to the length of the rods was found to be impossible, for a rod at one stage of its growth or under certain conditions might be a bacterium, while at another time it might be long enough to be considered a bacillus. There are many species of bacterium associated with disease, but not one has been absolutely proved to be pathogenic in man. The bacterium of pneumonia discovered by Friedlander has been considered by some to be the cause of pneumonia, but inoculations of animals with cultivations of the bacteria have only succeeded in some cases. In animals many pathogenic bacteria have been described, such as the bacterium of diphtheria of pigeons, the bacterium of fowl-cholera, the bacterium of septicemia in rabbits, and the panhistophytum ovatum which has been proved to be the cause of pébrine in silk worms. Other bacteria are chromogenic, producing yellow, red, brown, violet and other colours. The best known of these is bacterium prodigiosum which occurs on bread, boiled rice, and starch paste, and has been known as the bleeding host. In this genus also occur the zymogenic saprophyte which gives rise to the ammoniacal fermentation of urine, and also that which oxidises alcohol in wine and other fruit-juices into vinegar. 2. Spirillum. This genus contains threads which are in the form of screws, and are made up of long or short rods only, or of rods and cocci. Spore formation is absent or unknown. One of the best known examples:is the spirillum of relapsing fever which was described in 1873 by Obermeier. It occurs in the blood of patients suffering from relapsing fever. The spirilla are absent from the blood during the non-febrile intervals. Carter in Bombay inoculated monkeys successfully from the human subject. Another member of this genus which has attracted much attention of late years is the comma bacillus which Koch claims as the cause of cholera. His opponents, however, say that comma bacilli are not found in all cases of cholera. There are also possible sources of error in the inoculations of animals which have been carried out. Since writing the above I see in the Lancet of February 10, 1894, that Prof. Cunningham of Calcutta has had certain distinct forms of comma bacilli obtained from cases of cholera, in con- tinuous cultivation for nearly four years, all being under precisely the same conditions of environment. These bacilli have continued to present well marked differences, and Prof. Cunningham regards them as distinct species. If this is so, cholera cannot be regarded as due to the presence of any particular species of comma bacillus in the intestine, FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 35 Other comma bacilli are found in cholera nostras, in saliva and in old cheese. These were formerly believed to be identical with Koch’s cholera bacillus, but many now regard them as distinct species. 3. Leuconostoc. This genus consists of cocci and rods. Spore formation is present in the cocci. One species is described, Leuconostoc mesenteroids, well known as frog-spawn fungus or gomme de sucrerie, a formidable enemy to sugar manufacturers. So rapid is the growth of this organism that forty-nine hectolitres of molasses, containing ten per cent. of sugar, were converted within twelve hours into a gelatinous mass. The cells occur singly, in chains, and in zooglcea, surrounded by a thick gelatinous envelope, so firm that sections can be cut with a razor. In addition to increase by division, leuconostoc is also reproduced by the formation of arthrospores as already described. 4. Bacillus. This is a genus containing cocci and rods or rods only, forming straight or twisted threads. Spore formation is present either in the rods or cocci. This genus contains several most important species. Fore- most among these is the Baci/lus anthracis. This is the cause of splenic fever in animals, and of charbon, malignant pustule or woolsorter’s disease in man. The morphology and life history of this bacillus have been very fully worked out, and as it completely fulfils the four postulates of Koch the bacillus anthracis is accepted as a type from which to study the various bacteriological methods. As was stated earlier in this paper anthrax bacilli have been found in soil in which animals which have died of the disease have been buried. A more common mode of dissemination, however, is by the excreta, and blood and discharges from the nose and mouth of moribund animals. The bacilli find a nourishing soil in decaying animal and vegetable matter; spore formation goes on rapidly, there being free access of oxygen, and the grass is extensively contaminated. Floods may carry these spores over adjacent meadows. Animals may be directly infected through wounds in the mouth caused by siliceous sedges or grasses, or by wounds of insects. It is also probable that they may be infected through the intestinal and pulmonary mucous membranes. In man the disease is met with in those who have to handle the woo] or hides of animals which have died of anthrax. Infec- tion takes place either through a wound or abrasion of the skin, or by inhalation of the spores attached to dust, which then develop in the respiratory and a.iuentary tracts, The disease 36 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD most frequently occurs in certain manufacturing centres where the hides of animals are treated after being imported from abroad, or brought up from the country, such as Bermondsey in the south of London, and Bradford in Yorkshire. It is commonly known as woolsorter’s disease. The stringent regulations now in force in England, as to cattle infected with splenic fever will doubtless diminish the frequency of the disease, but there is still a serious danger to be apprehended from hides imported from abroad. In the British Medical Journal of January 20, 1894, I see that a case of malignant pustule occurred in Paris recently, the source of infection being goat-skins imported from China. The skins were found to contain the dermestes vulpinus in two stages of development. The bodies of these insects and their excrement contained the bacillus anthracis, and guinea pigs inoculated with these insects or their excrement reduced to powder, died of charbon. Pasteur by cultivating the anthrax bacillus succeeded in producing a protective vaccine for animals. This protection, however, only lasts for a time. If the bacillus is passed through different species of animals its virulence is altered. Bacilli from sheep or cattle are fatal if re-inoculated into these animals, but if inoculated into mice, the bacilli thus obtained lose their virulence for sheep or cattle, and the latter are protected for a time against virulent anthrax. Also a culture that is vaccine for sheep kills a guinea pig and then yields bacilli fatal to sheep. The Bacillus tuberculosis is another member of this genus which has been constantly in evidence since its discovery by Kochin 1882. Muchattention has been given to its life history, though not with the same success as in the case of the anthrax bacillus, for spore formation though described by some observers has not been satisfactorily made out. Koch’s four postulates are fulfilled in the case of animals, though it is obvious that the last experiment of the chain cannot be applied in the case of man. There is, however, little doubt that tubercle bacilli blown about with dust constitute a real danger to the community. In the British Medical Journal of January 13, 1894, Dr. Miller records the discovery of tubercle bacilli in dust from a house in which three people had died of phthisis at varying intervals, and two others had shown physical signs of the disease. The Bacillus lepre is very closely allied to the bacillus tuberculosis in size and form, but especially in its behaviour to staining reagents. These two bacilli are separated from all others by the fact that they retain certain aniline dyes when treated with nitric or sulphuric acid, while other bacilli are decolorized. We have, however, advanced very little in our knowledge of the FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 37 life history of the bacillus leprae, for it is by no means certain that it has yet been cultivated, though many have claimed success. Inoculations of animals have failed, though the bacillus is very resistant. In a fowl which I inoculated with a piece of leprous nodule, I found leprosy bacilli more than two years after inoculation, though there had been no development of the disease. Time will not allow me to do more than mention a few of the many other interesting members of this genus. The Bacillus mallet has been fully worked out, and is now generally accepted as the cause of glanders. The Bacillus alvet has been shown to produce foul-brood in bee-hives. The- bacillus of malignant cedema, of septiczemia of mice, of swine typhoid, of swine erysipelas are also accepted as pathogenic in animals. It has been shown that the inoculation of garden earth in mice and rabbits induces fatal tetanus. At the point of inocu- lation abscesses form and from these abscesses bacilli mixed with other organisms have been obtained and cultivated. A culture of this mixture produces the same disease. Recent researches by Kitasato and others have added much to our knowledge of the bacillus of tetanus. Among the saprophytic bacilli I can only refer to the Bacillus subtilis or hay bacillus, a very common and widely distributed organism, and a frequent intruder in other cultivations. 5. Vibrio. This is a a genus containing screw shaped threads in long or short links. Spore formation is present. One species is described, Vibrio rugula. It occurs in veget- able infusions causing fermentation of cellulose. The rods are curved or with one shallow spiral. They form swarms and grow out into threads curved in a screw like manner. Endospores are formed at one extremity, which then becomes enlarged giving the rod the appearance of a pin. 6. Clostridium. This genus resembles bacillus except that spore formation takes place in characteristically enlarged rods One species is pathogenic, causing a disease in cattle which is variously known as blackleg, quarter-evil, rausch-brand or symp- tomatic anthrax. A common speciesis Clostridium butyricum which converts lac- ticacid in milk into butyric acid and produces the ripening of cheese. Group III.—Leptotrichee. This group possesses cocci, rods and thread-forms which shew a distinction between base and apex. The threads are straight or spiral. The group is divided into four genera. 1. Crenothrix. In this genus the threads are articulated ; the cells are without sulphur ; the habitat is water. 38 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD One species is known, Crenothria kuhniana. It occurs as little whitish or brownish tufts in wells and drain-pipes. It fouls the water and may stop up the narrower pipes. 2. Beggiatoa. In this genus the threads are not articulated ; the cells contain sulphur granules ; the habitat is water. Three species are described, the best known of which is Beggiatoa roseo-persicina, which has been already mentioned as furnishing the material from a study of which Lankester formu- lated his doctrine of pleomorphism. The cocci form at first solid families bound together by gelatinous substance. Then they become larger, ovoid or globular and hollow, containing watery fluid. These hollow families are often perforated, presenting a reticulated appearance. Finally they may become broken up into irregular structures. In the cocci of the older vesicles dark granules of sulphur occur. These micro-organisms occur sometimes in such quantity that whole marshes or ponds may be coloured red by them. 3. Phragmidiothriz. In this genus the threads are without joints ; successive sub-division of cells is continuous ; the cells are without sulphur ; the habitat is water. One species is known, Phragmidiothrix multiseptata. It consists of cocci and threads. The latter are separated by transverse partitions into discs. Repeated transverse and longitu- dinal division takes place in these discs, resulting in the formation of cocci. These cocci develop in situ into slender threads. Phragmidiothrix is especially characterized by this constant sub-division, but it also differs from beggiatoa in the absence of sulphur and from crenothrix by the absence of a sheath. It occurs in sea water attached to crabs. 4. Leptothrix. In this genus the threads are articulated or not articulated ; successive sub-division of cells is not continuous ; the cells are without sulphur. The threads are composed of long rods, short rods, and cocci. The threads may break up into spiral, vibrio, and spirochete forms. ‘They occur in large numbers in the mouth in man and animals, and are believed to be connected with dental caries. Two species are described. Group I1V.—Cladstrichee. This group possesses cocci, rods, threads and spirals, The thread forms have false branchings. The group contains only one genus. 1. Cladsthrix. ‘This has already been mentioned as the micro-organism on which Zopf worked when establishing his classification of bacteria founded on the theory of pleomorphism. Its development can be traced from cocci to rods and threads. FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 39 These threads form false branches by single rods turning aside. Thus in Cladsthrix we find every form of the Schizomycetes represented. Two species are described. One is very common in still and running water ; the other occurs in the lachrymal canals of the human eye. In the above short account of the Schizomycetes I have en- deavoured to approach the subject mainly from the standpoint of the naturalist. Time would fail me were I to notice the many other points connected with this group of organisms. I must be content to hope that the few remarks I have made may not be wholly uninteresting to this Society. March 2, 1894. A DAY’S INSECT HUNTING AT CAPARO. By R. R. Mote. SWEET April morning, with a dewy softness about the atmosphere, the very feel of which brings back forcibly to the memory a showery spring morning in old England. Above, a cloudy sky with here and there streaks of azure blue; a heavy bank of white cloud lying over to the Westward above the lofty line of verdant forest, which stretches mile upon mile, into the interior. But it is only the freshness of the morning and the clouds which remind us of home, for look where we will we have evidence that we are in the tropics. The palm leaf* roofs of one or two houses peep here and there out of the surrounding gardens, which are full of gigantic broad-leafed plantain and banana plants, resplendent with the crystals of the showery night which has just passed away. Here are orange and mango trees— none of any size, however, for we are in quite a new locality, where four years ago stately balatast and majestic ceibast reared their haughty heads among a myriad other, lesser, but no less beautiful forest trees, the aerial play-grounds of long-bearded howling monkeys,§ who morning and evening roared out their welcomes and farewells to the sun with the regularity with which he rose and set. Graceful little capuchins||\—or matchins as they are called here—sprang from bough to branch, or swung by their * Carat—Sabal glaucescens. + Mimusops dissecta, R. Br. { Eriodendron anfractuosum. § Mycetes seniculus. || Cebus sp. 40, JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD prehensile tails from the arms of trees at giddy heights, playing the while, elfish tricks upon each other, accompanied by many a queer grimace and frolicsome antic. The clanging clamour of the toucan* and busy tap-tapping of the woodpeckerst were to be heard all round, while birds of every kind sang anthems of thankfulness to the Great Creator for having bestowed on them the Gift of Life. Here, where we stand, looking forth upon well- cultivated cocoa, kola and plantain, roamed by day bands of fierce little quenks,{ grunting and digging up suculent roots and rubbing their hairy backs and flanks against the trees, ever and anon disturbing the gentle, great-eyed Gouazoupita deer$ with its timid fawn from the covert which it had chosen wherein to ruminate upon the memories of the preceding evening’s raid on the sugar- cane or corn patches of the small holder living on the verge of the forest, and driving them away to more secluded retreats. The timid agoutil|| with nervous step stole under the forest trees and picked up his living with now and again a joyous frisk and curious antic, for the agouti, though surrounded by many foes, is in a quiet way a merry little fellow, especially when gun and hound are far away. His great cousin, the lappe or paca,{] in glossy spotted coat, foraged here and roamed about at will, ready to take to flight at a second’s notice and seek the refuge of the friendly but sluggish stream which meanders between its deep banks only a stone’s throw off. Then when night fell and the great fire beetles** flitted through the trees and the ‘‘ moping owl did to the moon complain,” strange uncouth forms stole out of hollow trees, nooks and crannies in boughs and branches, or burrowsintheearth. Thematapel,tj with his long preternaturally solemn nose, small ears, rough fawn-coloured coat, with his pre- hensile tail curled round some stick or branch as a point @apput, with his enormously powerful claws began tearing up rotting wood and inserting into the orifices so made his worm-like tongue, drawing in, each time he retracted it, scores of the white ants or termites which constitute his swummum bonwm. Near him too one might have seen sundry unrecognizable shapes, busy scratching and rooting, which if they would have allowed us to have taken a closer look we should have found to be armadillos,{t or, to use the creole name, tatous, busy with earth-worms and other crea- * Ramphastos vitellinus, Licht. + Dendrornis susurrans, Jard. t Dicotyles tajacu, L.—Collared Peccary. § Cariacus nemorivagus, || Dasyprocta aguti, L. "| Coelogenys ‘paca, L. ** Elateride. ++ Tamandua tetradactyla. { Tatusia novemcincta, L. FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB. 4] tures, the catching and devouring of which constitute their nightly occupation. Above in the trees, dancing and flinging himself about in the queerest attitudes, his presence perhaps invisible to the eye, yet making itself known by a certain subtile, all-penetrating, mean, disgusting, horribly effusive scent, would have been the porcupine. ve There, on yonder rising ground, cautiously dragging his heavy body about in the shade, ever and anon throwing himself into his position of defence, and sharply tapping on the dried leaves with rapid strokes of his horn-tipped tail, might have been found—he is found there yet—-the deadly Mapepire zannana,}—the Silent Death of the Black Night as someone has rendered it, the worst member of the Crotal idee, the Mapepire, on the look-out for rats and the other small deer which constitute his sustenance. Having struck and gorged his victim he frequently chose—as he does, even now—some spot where the rising sun would warm his rough scaly coils before he retreated to his hole, often too the sanctuary of hard-hunted agouti or arma- dillo, to sleep off the effects of his midnight repast. Over there, in yonder thicket too is often met his congener—M apepire- barcint either on a convenient spot close to the water's edge, or else oiled in the forks of some low bush, ready to strike his death-dealing fangs into the trembling body of the unlucky bird or small mam- mal which incautiously ventures within his reach. But now the scene has changed ; the woods have been felled and cocoa, coffee, kola, plantains, and bananas have been planted in their place and most of these wild creatures have been driven from this spot ; but nightly they pursue their gambols, hunt and are hunted, live their lives and perpetuate their species within a quarter of a mile of where we stand. There are others which have not so re- treated before the encroachments of man. They are the frisky little squirrels§ and the field rats|| and mice which levy tribute on the cocoa pods, the feathered tribes, including the gorgeous parrots] and gaily dressed cornbirds** the flashing humming * Synetheres prehensilis. + The Creole name (meaning pine apple Mapepire) for Lachesis muta Dr. de Verteuil thinks Mapepire is a Carib or Gallibi word. t 1 have seen it spelt barcin and valsin and have been told these words meant “ striped,’’ and ‘‘ dancing.” But both Mapepires are striped and all vipers dance, 7.e. circle round, “with the head ready for launching at an expected aggressor. Dr. de Verteuil informs me that ‘ barcin" is derived from the Guarahaon and means faint or blurred stripes. The scientific name of this snake is Bothrops atrox. § Sciurus estuans, L. || Nectomys palmipes, All. & Chpm.; Heteromys anomalus, Thompson ; Echimys trinitatis, All. & Chpm. (Piloree). §| Pionus menstruus, L. ** Cassicus persicus, L. 492 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD birds.* Gay butterflies seem to exult in the open space provided for them in which to display their gaudy colours. At night the opossum, or manicouy as she is commonly called, often laden with seven or eight clinging little ones, revenges herself for the inva- sion of her domains by raiding the fowl roosts or stealing plan- tains. Heavy boas creep forth from drains and thickets on the watch for any living thing which can be stowed away in their capacious stomachs. But although these creatures have not been driven from their old haunts and have profited rather than lost by man’s invasion and destruction of their sylvan fanes, there are others who wage persistent, unrelenting, never ceasing warfare upon the products of his labour and who organize great invading armies into his territory, in token of their never relinquished claim to that which he has wrested from them by right of superior force, a right to which all other wild things have acquiesced. These stern but tiny opponents are members of the insect world, and it is to the parasol ants and ants and insects in general that we intend to devote ourselves this fine but showery morning With this object then we three, members of this Club—Mr. Albert Carr, the owner of the plantation Jtcarrdonum, Mr. F. W. Urich and myself took our cutlasses, knives, tweezers, a plentiful supply of pill boxes, tobacco tins, and small bottles, chloroform, &c., and sallied forth through the little pasture and across the felled tree which constitutes the somewhat slippery bridge over the sluggish stream, reduced to almost its lowest point, but after heavy rains a boiling rushing river which under- mines banks and sweeps away all before it. Then through the well-kept promising young cocoa amongst which we noted many kola plants ; then skirting the bank of the river again, keeping a wary look-out for the snake so well described, if its name applies only to his poisonous powers “the atrocious one”—but perhaps it is a misnomer—this lovely morning disposes us to regard kindly even the Mapepire barcin, for he only uses his dread powers in obtaining his livelihood, or in self-defence. Fortunately, we did not tread on one—unfortunately we did not see one, although they are to be met here sometimes. Mr. Carr pointed out a place where an iguana? had been seen scooping out a hole in the bank in which to lay her eggs ; also where not so very long ago he and his brothers, who are the mighty Nimrods of the quarter, had surprised a school—one hardly knows what to call a litter of baby alligators$—fierce little things ready to fight to the last. * Of humming birds Iere possesses no less than seventeen species ; probably there are several more. + Didelphys marsupialis, L. + Probably Iguana tuberculata. § Alligator sclerops. FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 43 From thence we reached a spot where some enterprizing parasol ants had started a nest. The nest was soon dug out of its recess in the earth near a drain and looked not unlike a very mouldy dutch cheese in size and shape. It was broken up and one or two specimens taken including the big-headed fellows, who with fiercely snapping jaws always come to the front when their home is attacked. One of them cut through a piece of stick presented to it, which in size was at least half the thickness of its own body. But this nest did not contain what Mr. Carr desired so much to shew us, and after duly destroying it and scattering the fungus beds and digging in the soil around it, we proceeded to another. Here we were more successful, and Mr. Carr, at the risk of the severe bites of the enraged insects, boldly took up the nest with his bare hands. In its centre was a big helpless- looking ant, a very Goliath amongst the others, rather larger than a bee, which so far as we could see was covered with parasol ants of the very smallest size, and whose red bodies contrasted strongly with the dark brown one on which they looked almost like parasites. The insect’s helpless appearance and its sur- roundings decided the question in our minds that this was undoubtedly the queen of Atta cephalotes and not Atta fervens. In this nest we observed several ants engaged in busily removing the white shroud in which the young ones pass their chrysalis stage, and which was so ably described in the Jowrnal recently by our greatest local authority on parasol ants—Mr. Tanner. Several other small nests were visited—never a large one, for Mr. Carr takes care to destroy them as fast as they form, and several more of the large helpless ants were found—each one with smaller ones clinging to it—and only one in each nest. The trees were also examined, and several species taken—among them a reddish-looking fellow* with a buckler-like shield over the head and thorax. This ant was found principally upon a Bucare-Immortelle, although they were also present on several other trees. Mr. Urich, who was the entomologist of the party, identified these ants as belonging to the cryptocerus genus. After awhile we came to another part of the river, which here presented a dark and unhealthy appear- ance. All Communications and Exchanges intended for the Club should be addressed ‘to the Honorary Secretary, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, B. W-T. JOURNAL OF THE Field Naturalists’ Club. VoL. U. OCTOBER, 1894. No. 4. REPORT OF CLUB MEETINGS. ee 3rp Avaust, 1894. HE Annual Business Meeting of the Club took place at the Victoria Institute on the 3rd August. Present Mr. H. Caracciolo, F. E. 8., President ; the Hon. Lieut. Colonel Wilson, C.M.G., Dr. Rake, Messrs. Syl. Devenish, M.A., J. G. Taylor, J. R. Llafios, R. J. L. Guppy, C.M.Z.S., W. 8. Tucker, J. T. Rousseau, B.A., Henry Tate, B.A., Alfred Taitt, John Thomson, C. W. Scott, J. Hoadley, L. Guppy, jr., T. W. Carr, T. I. Potter, F. V. H. Spooner, Arthur Gaywood, R. R. Mole and F. W. Urich, F.E.S., Hon. Secretary & Treasurer. The minutes of the last monthly meeting having been read and confirmed the Secre- tary presented his Annual Report upon the work of the Club during the past year. It read as follows :— SECRETARY’S REPORT. CCORDING to Rule 6 I beg to submit to the Members of the Club the Third Annual Report of the Club’s transac- tions for the year 1893-4. In the course of the past year I was away in the country for a month, during which time Mr. R. R. Mole kindly performed the duties of Secretary. The number of members on the list at the close of the yeir 1892-3 was 88. There have been elected during the one just closed 5 Honorary, 2 Corresponding, 34 Town and 4 Country 92 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD members, making a total of 124 members. The losses through death, resignation and other causes have been nine. Amongst the working members the Club has lost, specia mention must be made of two: Mr. G. W. Hewlett, who was one of the first members and who recently went to South Africa and Mr. W. E. Broadway, who has been appointed Curator of the Botanic Gardens, Grenada. The latter is one of the founders of the Club and since its formation has never missed a meet- ing of any kind. He devoted considerable time to its affairs and his interesting exhibits at the monthly meetings will be much missed in the future. I am sure all the members of the Club will join me in wishing Mr. Broadway every success in his new sphere and thanking him for the services he has rendered this Society. A list of members is appended. Although the balance in hand is only $26.60 as compared with $103.54 of last year I may state that the Club is ona sound financial basis. There are advertisements to be collected which will bring up the receipts from the journal to very near $240.00 besides the next half-year’s members’ subscriptions amounting to about $175.00 both of which may be looked upon as valuable assets. Our collections are absorbing much of our funds and will do so for the next year or two, but when once these are completed, we shall have funds to improve the Jowrnal and increase the Library which, at present, depends only on donations and exchanges. The usual statement of finances is appended. During the year there have been twelve Ordinary Meetings and one Ladies’ Evening. The Second Annual Meeting was held, at our usual place of meeting, the Victoria Institute on the 18th of August 1893. The Ladies’ Evening was held on the 6th December 1893 and, thanks to the patronage of Lady Broome, who takes a lively interest in the Club and its doings, was a success in every way. ‘The Ladies’ Evening was more of a social nature and on that occasion the accommodation at the Victoria Institute proved inadequate for the company who did us the honour of being present. The increased attendance at the Ordinary Monthly Meetings mentioned in my last Report has been fully maintained during the past year, and the papers and communications read have quite equalled if not surpassed those of previous years. The exhibition of specimens of interest has been fully kept up and the Club’s thanks are due to the gentlemen who thus helped to make the meetings attractive. The Journal is published as usual; for details I refer members to the Report of the Publication Committee. Most of the numbers of Volume I are now out of print. Through the generosity of Sir John Goldney the nucleus of a Library has been formed and on behalf of the Club I tender FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 93 sincere thanks to Sir John for his handsome present. The fol- lowing is a list of the additions to the Library during the year 1893-4. PRESENTED By SIR JOHN TANKERVILLE GOLDNEY. Kirby,—Text Book of Entomology. Bates,—Naturalist on the Amazon. Wood,—Homes without Hands. Hudson,—Naturalist in La Plata. Cassel's Natural History—6 Volumes. Beale—On the Microscope. PRESENTED BY Dr. B. N. RAKE. Transactions of the Bombay Natural History Society—three numbers PRESENTED BY THE AUTHORS. Thirty-two Papers on Ornithology by W. Brewster. On a collection of Mammals from the Island of Trinidad, with des- criptions of New species by J. A. Allen and Frank M. Chapman. On the Birds of the Island of Trinidad by Frank M. Chapman. . On two new Neotropical Mammals by Oldfield Thomas. Miscellaneous pamphlets on Economic Entomology by F. M. Webster. Trinidad Botanic Gardens—Bulletin of Misc. Information No. 18-22. The Land & Freshwater Mollusca of T’dadby R. J. Lechmere Guppy. Report of the Supt. of the Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, for 1893. In EXCHANGE. Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica by W. Fawcett. Notes from the Museum of the Institute of Jamaica. Journal of the Institute of Jamaica. Bulletin of the American Museum, (New York) Vol. V. 1893. Canadian Entomologist. Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for 1891 (Washingten’. American Museum (New York), Annual Report for 1893. Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club Annual Report & Procs. 1892-3. Proceedings of the Rochester Academy of Science Vol II Parts 1 and 2. Manchester Microscopical Society Annual Report 1892. Trans. of the Hertfordshire Nat. His. Society Vol VII Parts 8 and 9. The United States of Venezuela in 1893 by Toledo & Ernst. Field Club. Bull. des Séances et Bull. bibliographique de la Société Ent. de France. PRESENTED By THE U. S. Dept. or Aart, Div. oF Ent. Insect Life Vol V No 5 Vol VI Nos. 1 2 2, PURCHASED. Science Gossip. Flower—Osteology of the Mammalia. Parker and Bettany—Morpholozy of the skull. The Club collection has progressed very favourably during the year, although. it is far from complete. All the funds and energy are now centred in the Mammal Collection. The cost of this amounts to $205.61 which is rather high as compared with $19.69 devoted to other departments, but I think the Club is to be congratulated on having formed a collection, which now con- stitutes the chief (with the exception of the Leotaud Collection - 94 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD of Birds and the Keate Collection of Shells) and oniy attraction to the Victoria Institute and the one to which the Institute owes its numerous visitors. There is yet much work to be done —the Reptile and Insect Collections especially are not complete but ‘ Rome was not built in one day,” and the Members of the Club who contribute are all amateurs, who are always busily engaged in professional or mercantile duties, with few leisure moments for Natural History. Amongst the contributors to the collections special mention is to be made of Mr. H. Caracciolo, (President) Mr. A. B. Carr, and Mr. W. E. Broadway. The following is a list of the specimens in the collection. MAMMALIA. Red Howlers, Mycetes seniculus, L. Ocelot, Felis pardalis, L. Wood-dog, Galictis barbara, L. Mangrove dogs, Procyon cancrivorus, Cuv. Squirrels, Sciwrus aestuaus hoffmani, Peters. Spiny rat, Loncheres guianeg, Thos. Pilorees, Echimys trinitatis, All. Chpm. Agoutis, Dasyprocta aguti, L. Albino Aguti. Peccary, Dicotyles tajacu, L. Tamanduas, Tamandua tetradactyla, Linn. Little Ant-eater, Cyclothurus didactylus. Armadillo, Tatusia novemcincta, L. Manicou, Didelphis marsupialis L. Manicou gros yeux, Philander trinitatis, Thos. HHHHNHHAHNNHNN RAHN AVES. t Hawk. 1 Soldado bird (from Venezuela). REPTILIA. 2 Caiman sclerops, Schneid. Polychrus marmoratus, Linn. Ameiva suvinamensis, Laur. Amphisbena fuliginosa Linn. Amphisbena alba, Linn. Mabuia agilis, Raddi. Epicrates cenchris, L. Corallus cookii, var vuschenbergit, Gray. Eunectes murinus, L. South America. Geophis lineatus, D. and B. Liophis cobella, Linn. Liophis regine, L. Liophis melanotus, Shaw. Coluber covais, Cuv. Coluber variabilis. Wied. Coluber bodd@rti, Seetz. Herpetodryas carinatus, L. Leptophis liocercus, Wied. Homalocranium melanocephalum, oR Dipsas cenchoa, L. Oxybelis acuminatus, Wied, FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 95 Scytale covonatum, Schneid. Elaps lemniscatus, Linn. Elaps riisei, Jan. Leptognathus nebulatus, L. Crotalus horridus L. (South America). Bothrops lanceolatus, L. (St. Lucia). PISCEs. Pristis antiquorum Lath, young specimen, stuffed. Carcharias terve-nove ? Richards stufted. INSECTA. 12 Cases of different orders. During the past year no official Club rambles have taken place, although one futile effort was made to inaugurate one at Easter. What the reason is, I cannot say but no doubt, the difficulties in travelling and the limited time of many of the members form two of the causes of our laches in this respect. Nevertheless individual members are constantly making excur- sions which always result in a rich harvest of specimens, all of which are duly recorded in the pages of the Journal. The fol- lowing is a list of some of the excursions undertaken by mem- bers and the number of days spent in each. _ Mayaro—East coast 14 days. High woods of Caparo—3 weeks and 1 week. Caura—Northern range of hills, 3 days. Maraval, Blue Basin, Carenage, Santa Cruz, Maracas, St. Anns,—1 day excursions being valleys and places near town. The following is a list of donations and the names of their donors for the year 1893-4. The thanks of the Club are due to those who have thus contributed to the collection. MAMMALIA. 1 Wood-dog skin Galictis barbara, Linn, presented by Mr. A. B. Carr. 1 Otter skin Lutra insularis, F.Cuv. presented by Mr. C. J. Thavenot. 1 Albino agouti (stuffed) Dasyprocta aguti, L. presented by Mr. P. Gonzales. A Cavy from Venezuela (stuffed) presented by Mr. A. M. Sucre. A Peccary Dicotyles tajacu, Linn. presented by Mr. J. Shine Wilson. A Peccary skin presented by Mr. A. B. Carr. A Little Ant-eater Cyclothurus didactylus, L. presented by Mr. M. Harding-Finlayson. A Little Ant-eater with a young one presented by Mr. J. Russell Murray. A Manicou gros yeux Philander trinitatis presented by Mr. J Guilbert. AVES. Nest of a Corn bird Ostinops decumanus presented by Mr. J. Guilbert. A horned Owl Megascops brasilianus presented by Mr. J. Guilbert. A small Owl Glaucidium phalanoides presented by Master J. O. Urich. An American barn ow] Sirix pratinicola presented by Mr. E. W. Lack An American barn owl presented by Rev. Father Allgeyer. 96 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD REPTILIA. Alligators Caiman sclevops presented by Mr. N. A. St. Hilaire. A two-headed snake Amphisbena fuliginosa presented by Mr. G. Fitzwilliam, Princes Town. Young Epicrates cenchvis presented by Mr. J. H. Hart. A Corallus cookii var vuschenbergi presented by Mr. E. Lange, junior. A Mangrove snake Liophis cobella presented by Mr. A. Devenish. A Lora Leptophis liocercus presented by Rev. Father Clunes. Coral Snakes from Venezuela Elaps covallinus presented by Mr. H. J. Baldamus. A clouded snake Leptognathus nebulatus presented by Mr. E. Lange, junior. PISCES. A young saw fish Pristis antiguorum presented by Mr. H. Caracciolo A sweet water Eel, presented by Mr. J. Graham Taylor. INSECTA. A fine collection of butterflies numbering 17 species, named, pre- sented by Mr. W: E. Broadway. A collection of beetles presented by Mr. A. Lamy. Caterpillars were presented by Revd. C. H. Stoker, Tunapuna. Revd. E. F. Tree, Couva. Lance Corporal Wilkinson, Couva. Moths were presented by Mr. M. J. Leotaud, Mr. E. Lazare, Revd. Father Clunes, Princes Town. Beetles were presented by Mr. Edward Chase, Tacarigua. Revd. E F. Tree, Couva. Mr. Luizon. Mr: L. Libert, Couva. Mr. J. Guilbert, Couva. Mr. C.A.-Meltz. Revd. C. H. Stoker. A Wasp’s nest from Venezuela presented by Mr. H. Caracciolo. Male & female Parasol Ants Atta cephalotes presented by Mr. J. J. Hobson. A giant Locust presented by Master Dick Kernahan. MIscELLANEOUS. Giant centipedes Scolopendva sp. presented by Mr. J. de la Sauva- gere. A Mygale spider presented by the Hon. G. T. Fenwick. Stem of a Gorgonia presented by Mr. W. Scott Kernahan. Eggs of Bulimus oblongus, Garden snail, presented by Mr. W. J. L. Kernahan. Head ornaments made of the elytra of Buprestide beetles from Venezuela presented by Mr. E, St. Vraz Tn conclusion I may congratulate the Members upon the continued success and the marked progress of the Trinidad Field Naturalists’ Club. fF. W. URICH, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. Trinidad, 3rd August 1894. FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. TRINIDAD FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. Oificers and Committees for the year 1894-95. Patron : His Excellency Sir F. Napier Broome, K.C.M.G. President : Dr. B. N. Rake. Vice-Presidents : H. Caracciolo; Sir John T. Goldney, Kt. Hon. Secretary & Treasurer : F. W. Urich. FINANCE COMMITTEE. DrivRake; 2: P. E. Guppy, jr. Ee @aracciolo, Vor. F. W. Urich. ‘ie le ee OLter. BuSINESS COMMITTEE. Dr. Rake, P. H. Caracciolo, V.P. Syl. Devenish, Rk. R. Mole, Hon. Lieut Col. Wilson, W.S. Tucker, T. I. Potter, F. W. Urich. PUBLICATION COMMITTEE. Dr. Rake, P. Ee Garacciolo® Vuk. Syl. Devenish, Prof. Carmody, R. R. Mole, F. W. Urich. 97 C.M.G. MEMBERS OF THE TRINIDAD FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. Honorary Members. Date of Election Boettger, Professor Dr. O. 6 1093 Brewster, William 4594 Buen, AG. P.S,, PsE.o. 1.71/92 Crowfoot, W.M., M.B., BSR Gas: 3393 Gatty, S.H. 19 8 92 Gunther, Dr.A., F.R.S.ete 17 92 Hamilton, Hon C.B. EzO2 Howard, L.O. 6 7 94 iKarby, W-E., EL-S., B.E.S: 2.992 Mitchell, P. Chalmers 21292 Morris, D.,.M.A.,C.M.G. 61093 Riley, Prot, ©.Ve, Ph. D: Smith, G. Whitfield sii Wate Dy Stone; sit by, Fb.Ss, F.R.G.S. etc. Thomas, Oldfield, F.Z.S. Vogt, Professor C.,M.D. Warming, E., Professor Wilson, H.F. Wells, S. Whitehead, C.E, Corresponding Members. Bock, E. 2 6 93 Chapman, F.M. 5593 Cockerell, T.D.A., F.E.S., EZ. S: 5593 Deyrolle, E. 7 10 92 Elliot, H.V., Lieut R.N. 33°93 Ganteaume, Harris 8 8 gI Jeffreys, W.]J. Lassen Leomsen Rodriguez, Dr. en Med Terry, John, F.R.G.S. etc. Wright, Rev. E. Douglas Date of Election 2394 I3 II gt 8 891 7793 6 3.92 3 3:93 4 12 91 I 792 2992 7 10 92 98 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD Town Members. Date of Election Broome, H.E, Sir F. N., K.C.M.G. 65 92 Agostini, Edgar 4 II 92 Agostini, J. L. 2394 Alcazar, Hon. H. A. 2294 Anduze, Jules 2394 Archer, Julian H. 77 03 Arnott, T. D. 77 Oa Bain, F. M. Thea pe)s Baldamus, H. J. 5194 Borberg, A. 7793 Broadway, W. E. 10 7 QI Broome, L. E. 7493 Caracciolo, H., F.E.S. Io 7 QI Carmody nb be. §.C.s. 8 192 Garr, to | “the Be Secretary, Port-of-Spai Prinidad, B. Jt Fe Fe Price 6d. Vol. 2. a. HEW Y( ‘themed ‘Sb ser iption, ae SRBBRY ARES 1896. No. G6. song Ppa Fengage donc tous a éviter ion leurs écvits toute personnalité, toute allusion dépassant les limetes de la discussion la plus sincere et la plus courioise—LABOULBENE Publication Corwirittee : President. HH CARACCIOLO}.E.S.,-V.P: > (P:. CARMODY-E:T.C.7 E.Cis, SYL. DEVENISH, M.A., R. R. MOLE, F. W. URICH, F.E.S., How. Secretary. CONTENTS :— Report of Club Meetings : November, 1894 oc ai ee 139 December wn in “Ae By 142 anuary is ne ey es 142 The Race Abhorred rr is nie a 143 In Memoriam—Hon. R. Guppy es op Ps 144 Tobago Herpetological Fauna ae Be as 145 Banana Disease ned os et 146 Visit to High Woods of Caparo ie aye ae 147 Lappe Hunting ies Sp ab ose I51 Agouti “ oat os BS ny 154 Quenk . se ie 7 a 158 } } Notes on Ticks oa se re ss 161 TRY THE WEST INDIA GLH RETTE G0'S GOLDEN DREAM CIGARETTES SOLD EVERYWHERE. 12 IN A PACKAGE X CENTS These Cigarettes are made from best quality and selected Bricgut Virernra Lear Tobacco and are euarranteed to be absolutely pure and unadul- terated. These Cigarettes are also put up in Tins of 100 each, thus assuring the consumer as to their being in perfect order. If you perfer to roll your own Cigarettes try a + 1b Tin of GOLDEN FLEECE CIGARETTE TOBACCO Cheapest and best in the Mariet. eee TELEPHONE 282, For Sale at WHOLESALE AT FACTORY ST. ANNS ROA OR , HUNTER, SKEETE & CO., LOCAL AGENTS. je ot a CENTRAL. P ee i ded for the Club should be addresse wee 2A Becretary, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, B.W- T= JOURNAL OF THE Field Naturalists’ Club. VOL. II. FEBRUARY, 1895, No. 6. REPORT OF CLUB MEETINGS. 9TH NoveMBER, 1894. RESENT: Sir John T. Goldney, V.P., in the Chair, Professor Carmody, Messrs. Syl. Devenish, M.A., Lechmere Guppy, jnr., R. R. Mole, C. J. Thavenot, T. I. Potter, S. A. Cumberland, is eer Baldamus, 1 Spooner, T. W. Carr, F. Eagle, and F, W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. Mr. William Lunt was present as a visitor. The following gentlemen were elected members of the club: Mr. G. Brown Goode (Washington), Honorary Member, and Mr. D. Munro, Town Member.—Letters were read from ihe Director of the British Museum and the Secretary of the Institute of Jamaica, thanking the club for copies of the Journal. " of Griy deseri ption against logs by [ire do ee “ONION ene aft t woe N ATS as By str ne a Read sake London and Noraeie DIR B C iy ORS. President > HS. Patterson, Esq., Puce President: Major-General Jaines Cockburn; — Major I) Astley Cubitt; SG urney Buxton, Esq ; PF. vin Watson, B Niiliags Foster’ Bart: 1. B. Coaks, Esy; R.A, Gorell, Pane Horrester, sq; William Birkbeck, Esq 5 Ka alerave & Simpson, Esq ;G. Hunter, Esq Duck, a4 ; He CLES PROEPTLY AED* LIBER ae ¥ SETTLED. Trinidad Agent, et: = PR fan eB RP Aten Ne IRAE RI He vc * CENTRAL PARK, @ \\ NEWYORK A -J cat 4 RAL Mee nl = All Communications and Exchanges intended for the Club should be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I. oll ren Ae OF THE Field Naturaligty’ Club. VOL. I. APRIL, 1895. INON 7: REPORT OF CLUB MEETINGS. 15tH Frpruary, 1895. RESENT: Sir John Goldney, V.P. (in the Chair), Messrs. H. Caracciolo, V.P., F. de Labastide, R. R. Mole, A. T. Reoch, John Hoadley, T. I. Potter and F. W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. Mr. John Ponsonby (London) and Mr. H. C. Bourne were the visitors present. Mr. R. 8. Reid was elected a Town Member. A letter was read from Dr. G. Brown Goode (Wash- ington) thanking the Club for his election to Honorary Membership. Mr. Caracciolo described an excursion to Macqueripe Bay. Mr. Mole read some additional notes on “The Caudal Appendage in Crotalus horridus.” The Secretary exhibited an abnormal egg from Guanapo presented by Mr. Albert Lucien. The egg, laid by an ordinary hen, was unusually large, it contained another perfect egg inside. Size of egg :—34 ins. long, 2} ins. broad. Inner egg ordinary size. 157TH Marcu, 1895. RESENT: Mr. H. Caracciolo, V.P. (in the Chair), Professor Carmody, Messrs. Syl. Devenish, T. I. Potter, T. W. Carr, R. R. Mole, John Barclay, A. T. Reoch, H. J. Baldamus, J. H. Collens, E. D. Ewen, A. Taitt and F. W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. The Secretary read on behalf of Mr. C. W. Meaden a paper on “A Cattle fly” giving a description of the fly, the damages it does and the remedies to be applied to infected animals. Mr. Mole read a note on “The Dimensions of Animals.” Mr. Caracciolo exhibited a large collared owl (Pulsatria torquata Daud.) and a Mygale spider. Mr. Urich showed some bats Chilonycteris rubiginosa, Wagn from the Oropouche caves, which, 14554 164 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD according to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, were rather uncommon and only represented in the national collection by one specimen from Trinidad. A number of specimens of Peripatus trinitatis from St. Anns were also on view and the Secretary informed the meet- ing that he had recently secured large numbers of specimens which evidently represented at least two species. The reason why these comparatively rare creatures had been recently found in such abundance was the exceptional dryness of the season which had caused them to congregate in the ravines for the sake of the little moisture to be found in them. Upwards of 100 specimens had been secured in this manner. The specimens were compared with the illustrations in a splendid Monograph (Sedgwick) of the Peripati with a considerable degree of interest. CLUB PAPERS. BATES. By Henry Caraccioto, F.E.S., M.S.Enr. DE FraANcE, &c. Y recent systematists bats have been divided into two groups, viz.: Megachiroptera or fruit eaters and Microchiroptera or insect devourers. Amongst the former we have the larger bats, the insectivorous ones being generally small. According to Dobson’s Catalogue (1878) there are onan average about 100 fruit-eaters known, whilst 300, more or less, are recognized as insectivores. These have been arranged in 80 genera and six families, but since 1878 many species have been added and the number now described must be very nearly 500. These creatures at one time were supposed by some naturalists to have evolved from terrestrial mammals, which gradually developed wings to adapt themselves to circumstances, but remains of bats have been found in the Eocene deposits and even further back, which proves that they are a distinct class, though closely allied to the insectivorous mammals, and, more wonderful still, the sloths. The distinctions between the insectivorous and frugivorous species are as follows. The former have their teeth cusped or sharp in the form of a W and the molars are divided transversely, whilst the teeth of the fruit eaters are flat and longitudinally grooved. The index finger of the insect eaters never has more than two joints, but usually only one, and it never terminates in a claw as it frequently does in the fruit bats. Then again the two margins of the conch of the ear arise from separate points instead of being joined together and the tail is joined to the membrane and appears always on the upper surface. Though there are many other distinctive marks characterising the two FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 165 groups, those I have given are sufficient to identify them. The wings of bats consist of a membrane which has its origin on the sides of the neck. It was once believed that this mem- brane is of a callous nature but experiments made by Spal- lanzanni and others have proved that it is a very sensitive organ. I had an Artibeus alive for some time in a large cage, the bat being apparently asleep, I took a thread and merely touched this membrane, this excited nervous movements and the animal was evidently uneasy for some time. The fingers in bats are developed to an extraordinary degree and they thus serve to stretch the flying membranes,*when in use, just as the ribs of an umbrella keep its covering open. The hinder limbs can scarcely be called organs of locomotion for the creature is exceedingly awkward when placed on the ground, walking or creeping very much like a sloth when in similar circumstances. In regard to their geographical distribution bats are found almost all over the world but principally in the tropical zone, where the largest number of species are known, in fact they are supposed to be the characteristic type of mammals in the tropics, only a few species inhabiting northern climes. The distinctive appearance of the two groups, as given above, enables us to decide off hand to which of the two great sub-orders any particular individual may belong, yet the observations made by naturalists show that a few species deviate in their habits from the rule indicated by these distinctive characteristics. For instance, in the case of Voctilio leporinus the food has varied considerably, probably owing to a gradual adapta- tion of habits to altered conditions of life. The species, which is widely distributed in Central and South America aud is rather common in Trinidad, lives under roofs of houses but principally in eaves. This bat is stated by no less an authority than Linnzeus to be a fruit-eating bat, and is referred to by him as Victilaus fructibus arborum though its characteristic dentition and other peculiarities place it among the insect eaters. Dobson found some fruit seeds in the stomach of a specimen sent to the British Museum, apparently the seed of Morus tinctoria. But other naturalists (Gosse and von Tschudi) remarked that it lived in hollow trees and feeds on beetles; I have examined many stomachs my- self and often found the tibiz of beetlesin them. But now, strange to say, the species has shown a still more remarkable deviation from its original habits. It has given up its diet of fruit and beetles and has taken to fishing in salt and fresh water. The first account of this new custom is that of Mr. Fraser who observed it in Ecuador. There he saw the bats skimming the bank of the river at Esmeralda, every now and then making a dash along and actually striking the water, catching in their swift career minute fish which were incautiously swimming near the sur- face. Some time in January 1892 I accompanied the late Mr, 166 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD McCarthy to the Caves at Gasparillo, where these bats live in great numbers, for the purpose of ascertaining whether this fishing habit was a fact and the precise manner in which the bats went about it. We arrived late, after 7 p.m., on a beautiful moonlight nigat and we observed the bats leaving their caves and performing their fishing operations. They generally flew near shore, say about ten feet from the rocks and one foot above the surface of the water, going to and fro, until they perceived a fish, then suddenly they made a swoop, striking the water with a swish and off again. At times this manceuvre is made very quickly and at others the animal seems to be checked a little, no doubt the prey in this instance giving a little more trouble. I could see the interfemoral emia i.e. the membrane between the thighs, close in the form of a bag, but this I believe is done to check their flight which is very rapid, and not in my opinion for the purpose of collecting fish. I have also examined their deposits collected from the caves at Gasparillo and from an old gateway, which once faced the wharf, and all the deposits contained remains of fish and beetles. These bats are also to be seen fishing in the drains and gutters in Tranquillity and may be observed in this interesting operation at dusk any evening and also on moon- light nights. Mr. McCarthy suggested at the time that the feet might be used for capturing their prey but my opinion is that there is no reason for believing so. The claws are only used to hang by, which is the reason for their great development. This bat has a large expanse of wing. The specimen before you measures, 64 inches from tip of nose to the end of the extended inter- femoral membrane ; the length of head and body is 33 inches ; ‘ength of fore arm 3 inches; hind foot 1} inches and expanse of wing 23 inches. The colour is orange red. I have found it living in company with a smaller species Mormops megalophylla, the first specimen of which was sent to England by Sir William Robinson in 1889. The bats of Trinidad belong to three families, viz.: Vespertilionide, Emballoneuridee and Phyllostomatide. Of the first family we have up to now only discovered two species— Vespertilio nigricans and Thyroptera tricolor though it is very probable, according to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, that there are more. These are distinguished by having no exfoliations or nose leaves on the muzzle and by having the tail contained in the inter- femoral membrane, the tip slightly projecting beyond it. Thyroptera tricolor is by no means common; it is a small bat with a spread of wing of about 9 inches. It is chiefly remark- able on account of an adhesive circular pad at the base of the thumb and on the foot, by which it adheres, to the various objects on which it may settle; it is an insect eater. In the next family Emballoneuride the members are characterized by the FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 167 absence of a nose leaf, and as a rule they have a small tragus in the ear and only a single pair of upper incisor teeth which incline towards one another. The tail is partially free and_per- forates the interfemoral membrane, appearing on the upper surface or produced far beyond the posterior margin. This fa- mily is largely represented in the Neo-Tropical Region in which Trinidad is situated, and contains fruit eaters, insect eaters as well as salt and fresh water fishers. Moctilio leporinus be- longs to this family. They are also commonly called mastiff bats on account of the supposed resemblance of their broad, wide-mouthed muzzle, to the head of a mastiff and are the first representatives of the above family. They are characterized by the thickness of their tails which are prolonged beyond the outer margin of the interfemoral membrane. Of all our bats they are the ones that can best crawl, on account of a peculiar corn-like callosity at the base of the thumb. The hind legs are free from the wing membrane and their wings are long and slender. This great length and narrowness of the wings indicates as Dr. Dobson observes, rapid flight, and since they have the power of varying the great length of the membrane between the legs by a sort of reefing process they must have great dexterity in suddenly changing their direction. It is curious to note Molossus (rufus and “obscuius) flying at dusk between the Zamand trees in Queen’s Park, catching i insects. They fly high and very much like swallows, their flight is exceedingly rapid and it is interesting to note them in the act of capturing their prey, their power of sight must be intensely developed for, notwithstanding the rapidity of their flight every now and then they will dart side ways, and sometimes swoop down a distance of at least 15 feet to pick up an insect which flies about one foot from the surface of the savannah. Molossus obscurus is not so common in town, though I have captured them in the roofs of houses. They are smaller than their ally Jf. rufus and insinuate themselves between the galvanized sheeting and the wood-work of roofs, their deposits often collect in the gutterings and is a source of danger to those who use rain water for drinking purposes as they pollute the water and it may become injurious. This bat however is more often found in the outskirts of the town and lives in decayed stumps of trees. An interesting little bat is the Saccopteryx bilineata, a pretty little creature of a brownish colour with two longitudinal white lines running down the back. We possess three members of this genus S. bilineata S. leptura and S. canina which are remarkable for their pouched wings and have derived their name from this peculiarity. The number of incisors is 1-3 and the cheek teeth 5-5 on each side. These pouches are well developed in the males and almost 168 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD rudimentary in the females, and are supposed to be a means of sexual attraction on account of a red coloured strong smelling substance contained therein. In WSaccopteryx leptura the pouches are very much larger than in the others. A curious little bat of this family is Rhynchonycteris naso Wied. They are often met with on the banks of the Caroni, in groups, resting on stumps and trunks of trees, especially those over- hanging the water. This is our smallest species and has a spread of wing of about 8 to 9 inches. Its colour is brownish gray, very closely imitating the tree trunks, they are also very often found under the loose bark, which no doubt they seek for protection against the hawks and other birds which feed on them. The muzzle is rather elongated and fine, the tail perforates the interfemoral membrane and appears on its surface. The next and last family of Trinidad bats is the Phyllostomatidae— largely represented hereandin America, and differing considerably in size though all agreeing in the possession of the nose leaf, which in some instances is longer than the head. They are collectively styled Vampires and are exclusively confined to Central and South America and the West Indies. We have up to the present discovered 17 species in this island and may probably, very shortly add several new ones to thelist. They are characterized by the presence of three bony joints in the third or middle finger. A very curious species inhabiting this island is Glossophaga soricina and represents with Anowra geoffroyit a group of bats characterized by their long tongues which project considerably from their mouths and can be pulled out twice the length of the head. The tongue ends in a mass of papille and in shape somewhat resembles a tooth brush. This peculiar modification it was once thought was used for abrading the skin of animals, previously to sucking their blood, but it is now known to be used for licking up the pulpy substance of fruit. The lower lip is deeply channelled, the incisors enlarged, the medians larger than the laterals and projecting with a fine cutting edge. This small and harmless bat is thought by many persons to be the blood sucker, no doubt owing to the length of its tongue, in the very same way that 99 out of 100 persons not only in Town but in the country (where the people have the facility of acquiring better information) believe that snakes sting with the filamentous process which they project from their mouths and which is nothing else but their tongues. These bats simply use their remarkable tongues for licking up the pulp of fruits and the honey of flowers. Again we possess in this family the largest bat of the New World, in fact the largest in the world, except the great fox bat of India. The specimen on view, Vampyrus spectrum, with the skull attached will show you what a formidable creature it apparently is. It belongs to a FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB 169 group of this family in which the tail, when present, perforates the membrane between the legs ; the nose leaf is spear-shaped. It is a most horror-striking animal when viewed from in front, with its ears standing erect from the sides and the top of the head, its spear-shaped nose-leaf and its powerful canines. No wonder it was imagined that this animal must be the terrible blood sucking vampire, but such is not the case, for it is a most harmless bat and is reported to feed principally on fruits. This species has no tail. Chilonycteris davyi is a small bat closely allied to Chlonycteris rubiginosa. I have caught them both in the gardens. The former is characterized by its wings being attached to the centre of the back instead of the sides of the body and its back is entirely naked, a peculiarity not yet accounted for. This genus differs from the other members of the family in the absence of a nose leaf the function of which is performed by folds of skin depending from the chin. It is usually of a dull brown colour. Of the fruit eating species belonging to this family, Artibeus, four species of which up to date have been discovered, the most con- spicuous are A. perspicillatus, A. planirostris, A.quadrivittatus and A hart. They are easily recognizable by their blunt faces and the interfemoral membrane, concave behind, no tail being present. The largest species, A. planirostris, has a large and fleshy nose leaf, the sides of the process being rounded and not produced upward into lobes. They are particularly fond of sapodillas, mangoes, pomme-malac and guavas and begin to fly very early in the evening, They seem to be very strong and muscular, often making several darts at a fruit but eventually picking it, however difficult it may be ; after picking the fruit the bat resorts to another tree, sometimes a long distance off, there hangs by its hind feet and clasping the fruit with its thumbs eats it leisurely ; they do notseem to be always able to discriminate between ripe and unripe fruits, and often pick green ones which they drop ; this accounts for the quantity of fruit one finds under these trees. A. perspicil/atus is very little smaller and can be at once recognized by the two longitudinal white lines on its head ; these two species are often found under the eaves of houses. A. lilobatus is smaller yet and is distinguished by the edges of the basal part of the nose leaf being produced upwards into lobes ; it is much less common and more often found in the country districts than in Town. Its habits are identical with A. planirostris. I may here add that the latter was supposed by Charles Waterton to be the blood-sucking bat. We come now to the true blood-sucker, Desmodus rufus. The canines are as sharp and pointed as needles, it has no true molars and no spur on the ankle for the support of the membrane between the legs. Darwin, up to date was the only person 170 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD said to have had the good fortune of seeing one caught in the act of sucking the blood of its victim, but Mr. Libert a zealous member of the club reports having personally vaught one in the act. I had heard it said that some persons are proof against bat-bites and having been several times exposed to their attacks without being bitten I very nearly believed it, until one night I determined to give them all facility. I slept in a hammock at Gasparee exposing my foot, next morning I was qu‘te surprised to find myself bathed in blood, the result of a bat-bite. They seem to delight in poultry and attack their birds in the neck. I once saw an unfortunate hen which had been bitten in the night so weak she could not stand and in nine cases out of ten the feathered victim dies. Some country people pretend that these hats go out twice a night in search of prey. It may be they are misled by the fruit eating species who appear at dusk and late during moonlight nights ; but since we have had electric lighting the insectivores have quite a good time of it and feast greedily up to early morning. 4th May, 1894. NOTES ON SOME TRINIDAD BUTTERFLIES. By Lecumere Guppy, Jr. HE following notes give an account of the striking resemblance between some members of the genus Danais in one or more of their three stages; at the same time showing the strong difference between them in other stages; as for instance while the larvee are very much alike, the pupe differ very much, and then the imagos are again alike and vice versa. Drawings and specimens of the undermentioned are shown. I have also added some notes on Ageronia feronia, and Gynaecia dirce. Tithorea flavescens and Sais ewrymedia.—The eggs of these butterflies are laid singly on the underside of the leat of a very well-known creeper here, Echites sp., which is very common in Queen’s Park (referred to later). The former species 7’. flavescens, often chooses those vines which are in open situations while the latter only deposit on the small ones in the depths of woods, or in very shady, obscure, moist and protected places suited to the frail imago; these vines are extremely pretty when sheltered from the sun, and the venation of the leaves is beautifully developed, showing up clearly against the dark green; they seldom, however, grow in such situations to a height of more FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. La than 1 to 2 feet and the supply of leaves is only sufficient to support one or two larve, more often than not only one is found on each plant under a leaf. In the open, exposed to the sun, like the vines in the Queen’s Park, so much frequented by metallic tinted wasps, the leaves lose their beauty completely, but whereas the plants that grow in the open are luxuriant in foliage, the others that grow in the shade are deficient in this respect. I have found several larvae of 7’. jflavescens on some creepers and they are very easy to rear in captivity. In the larval stage 7’. flavescens and S. eurymedia are almost identical. The larvee of the former are black and white with about eleven latitudinal bands or belts, marked with black and white, regularly, like a chequer-work pattern, on close examination, appearing like so many links of a chain, as in S. eurymedia, except that the latter are reddish about the feet and under the body, and when mature are just about half the size of 7. flavescens—remarkable, thin, tapering horns rise from the second segment, and are slightly curved at the tips and are vibrated rapidly when disturbed—the movement is not so rapid as that in the larve of Lycorea sp. mentioned later on. The pupe of both are again similar, the splendid burnished golden appearance, except where the thorax, eyes, wings, and a few specks, marked in black indicating the venation and other parts mentioned, most distinctly and clearly. In some of the pupz the dorsal depression on the ridge between the head and abdomen is more developed than others but it is always con- spicuous, which seems to cause the protuberance of the thorax as in Callidryas. The resemblance to Mechanitis sp. in this stage is marked and I refer to it later on. The imago of T. flavescens described by Kirby, (see F. N. C. Journal) No. 3, August 1892) and S. ewrymedia are very different, but in the early stages these insects are very much alike. The delicate, frail, Sais eurymedia with its soft, transparent, pale greenish yellow wings, margined with black, the fore and hind wings rounded at the tips, flies low and slowly along, while 7’. flavescens is tawny yellow and black, strong, and jerky in its flight, has pointed forewings and is very different in this stage. There are two types of larve of this insect which, however, produce very little variety in the imago,—that is, some few of them are much darker than the usual type met with. They are almost black, the white marks showing very faintly, the pupa is more marked with black in the venation of the thorax, ete., but this species is liable to such changes, and not constant in its markings, though according to Kirby more so than some other members of the group. 172 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD A ccmparison of the above with Jycorea is interesting ; the eggs are deposited in the same manner on the plant which is a species of Oleander, and the larve very much alike, merely the markings being different, it is striped with broad white and black kelts, (with the exception of the first four segments which are black and pale yellow), the white belts are, however, curved up and pointed just above the feet, resembling hooks. The horns are longer and vibrate most rapidly whenever the insect is disturbed, the pupa is however quite diflerent, being yellow almost transparent and with no marked dorsal depression, there are black spots on the thorax and a stigmatal and dorsal row, otherwise it is simply smooth, without the striking appearance of 7’. flavescens. The imago is again so different, resembling more the style of Mechanitis, which however, differs from it in every other respect, as the following account shows :—The eggs of A/echanitis egansis are laid in clusters on the upperside of the leaves of the cockroach plant—(Solanwm sp.) they are white conical ribbed longitudinally, the larvee are gregarious—in these respects dittering quite from 7ithorea, Lycorea and Sais, although so similar to the last mentioned in its perfect state. The pura is very much like 7. flavescens and S. eurymedia and has the same beautiful appearance, but the dorsal depression is not so pronounced. In the imago the likeness to Lycorea appears and this is the only stage in which there is any resemblance, this is striking enough to lead one to suppose there would be some characteristics in the two previous stages, both in the habits of the larva and form of pupa which would give one some clue to the relationship to Lycorea sp. These insects may all be procured near the same spot and are usually seen together. ‘They are protected in the same manner as J//eliconius by a peculiarly offensive edor very much like the smell of the oil in the cashew-nut. A/echanitis eyaensis is one of the most easily captured butterflies, from its fondness for a certain weed, (I am hoping to find out its name) which grows to about five feet in height, with clusters of small white flowers, somewhat like a thistle in shape, and very commun in some localities. As many as thirty or forty of them may be captured with the fingers, when these plants are in flower. From a good sized plant I have picked them off in this manner, one by one for my amusement. When liberated they will fly round and return again; so great is their fondness for the flowers. Apparently there is no external difference between the male and female, but the sex may be at once discovered by lifting the fore wing a little, and if there is any hair on the costal nervure or vein of the hind wing we know at once that it is a male specimen. The same distinction of sex is noticeable in FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 173 Tithorea flavescens and Sais eurymedia. Specimens may be captured all the year round and their metamorphoses are under- gone in the short period of about a month. Notes on ‘“‘Ageronia Feronia? AND “Gynecia Dirce.” g Y The larve of the former are solitary and at first they are green. Head in proportion, body blackish covered with branched spines, there are two horns on the head (which is minutely spined) slightly curved, black, and clubbed at the tips with a few small spines. On the first segment a pair of long spines branched at the top and covered with minute spines to the root. On all other segments these spines are branched but there ave no minute spines at their sides, and they are slightly shorter. There is a lateral row of spines, small and finely branched rising from lilac spaces with three intermediate white spots. On close examination there are dark and light brown spaces, not sufficiently prominent to be noticed otherwise. JI have found the larve in October. The imagos appeared on the 27th. The pup are remarkable, the two horn-like projections on the head are flat and slightly waved. From a side view there are to be seen two dorsal humps, the upper one rounded, and the lower more angular, sloping down gradually, and forming a depression which again slopes up causing a slight thickening at the end of the abdomen ; the color is dark green with lighter tints of the same hue, suffused here and there with yellowish tints, and marked with brown. The manner in which the crackling noise is produced by the perfect insects, and the peculiar manner in which they stick close against the trunks of trees afford a great deal of interest, and deserve attention as striking peculiarities ; the former habit was noticed by Darwin in his book “The Naturalist’s Voyage,” page 33, in which work they are called Papilio feronia. ‘ This is the only butterfly I have seen which uses its legs for running. They are very active, flying round and round in chase of one another and crackling loudly when at close quarters, frequently choosing the Palmiste, on the side of which they rest, about ten or twelve feet from the ground, against the trunk, and they may be passed by withcut being noticed, protected by their striking resemblance to the discoloured spots where some fungus growth or whitish portion conceals them. They stick close against the trunk in the invariable position, head downwards, except when about to lay their eggs, on the low creeping vines ; then they may be seen flying alone, with a series of sharp, regular, jerks, gliding along, and at this period, I suppose it is about the only time they ever alight on anything green against which they would offer a striking mark.” According to Mr. Doubleday the noise they make is produced as follows :—‘‘ They are remarkable for 174 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD having a sort of drum at the base of the fore wings, between the costal nervure and the sub-costal. The two nervures moreover, have a peculiar screw-like diaphragm or vessel in the interior.” Darwin describes the noise as similar to that produced by a toothed wheel passing under a spring catch. Gynecia dirce is somewhat similar in its habits to Ageronia Jeronia. The female lays her eggs on the Trumpet tree under the fresh leaves of the very young Plants ; ; strange to say, they never seem to choose the full grown trees, I have only found them on trees two, three, or four feet high. I can at once always detect when there are any larvee on the plant, by the appearance of the leaf they are on, which has the principal veins cut so that it forms a tent, the palmate portions drooping around ; they can thus feed securely from their enemies (except those that know it) although already protected by the formidable spines with which they are covered. Sometimes as many. as three or four may be found under a leaf, however, more often, only one is found. They are not active, but remain under one leaf as long as the supply of food is sufficient, and when disturbed they “keep perfectly still, in the manner of the larvee of Ayeronia feronia. “The larvee are formidable in their appearance which is as follows :—Their general colour is black, covered with white and yellow branched spines. Head and body velvety black. There are six branched spines on every segment. From the second segment the spines have four branches as finely pointed as a needle, pale yellow and white. On the first segment the spines are simple. On the head are a pair of projections like horns, slightly curved back, and clubbed at the tips, spined and irregularly notched. There is a lateral row of yellow spaces or spots, which show up very prominently against the black ground. They remain in the pupe state for about ten days ; in August 1893 they were plentiful at San Fernando, when I found a ‘great many larve. The pupa is remarkable in appearance (and can be best judged by the imperfect illus- tration), it may with some reason be said to closely resemble a bit of decayed wood, being the same dull brown colour with paler patches of the same. The dorsal ridge is covered with notches and pointed prominences which are most highly developed on the abdomen, there is a noticeable rounded hump on the thoracic portion and the head terminates in two points like a V. There are just faint indications of the presence of wings on the thorax. The imago is very lively in its movements, alighting in the same manner as A. feronia, except that the wings are closed vertically, and it confines itself to shady places. The marking of the under wings has gained for it the popular name of “Zebra,” 6th July, 1894, FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. Va NOTES ON SOME FUNGUS GROWING ANTS OF TRINIDAD. By F. W. Unica, F. E.S. N his second paper on the Qeodoma cephalotes, Mr. Tanner stated that there were two distinet species of Parasol Ants: in Trinidad and he was inclined to believe that there was also a third. That he was not wrong the results of my collecting have fully proved. During the past eighteen months I have collected seven distinct species, of fungus growing ants, of which no less than four belong to the genus Aféa or “ Parasol Ants.” The specimens have been named by Prof. Dr. A Forel whom I desire to thank for the readiness with which he helped me in studying the species referred to. These fungus or mushroom growing ants are already well known, so far as their ravages on cultivated plants are concerned, but until lately no one seemed to know exactly what they did with the leaves they carried into their nests. Our late member, Mr. Tanner, was the first to give us an insight into their domestic economy, but Belt was the first to suggest the existence of a fungus by the passage “I believe that they are in reality mushroom growers and eaters.” That this careful observer was not wrong Dr. Moller has ably proved in his “ Pilzgirten einiger Siidamerikanischer Ameisen ” on the fungus of the Brazilian species of Atta and Apterostigna, a most fascinating work, teeming with interesting information for the Mycologist as well as the Ant student. As I shall have to refer frequently to this valuable work in the course these notes, all quatations not otherwise indicated are taken from it. As Mr. Tanner has so ably given us a description of the manner in which the Ants prepare leaves for their “mushroom gardens ” and the time of their development, I shall confine myself to deseribing the Ants themselves, their nests and the parts of the gardens they make use of. Genus: Atta, Fabr == Cephalotes, Latr = (€odoma, Latr 1, Sub-genus : Atta, sens strict, Fabr. A, sexdens, Linn. This species is very much like the following one, A. Cepha- lotes, but does not seem to be socommon, I only found it once on the Tucuché and perhaps it may be confined to the higher parts of the island. A. cephalotes, Linn. This species is very common all over the Island, on flat lands as well as on the heights. Its ravages are well known to the cocoa 176 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD proprietors who spend large sums of money to get rid of it. The nests of these ants vary in size, a single colony occupying not more than about a cubic foot of space and externally is not very conspi- cuous in the long grass of the cocoa estates, but in the woods I have seen nests covering an area of about 2,500 square feet and the earth and used parts of plants, brought up from the interior, formed regular little hillocks fully 4 to 5 feet high. These large nests consist of hundreds of colonies each of about | cubic foot, all are connected with each other by subterranean passages, but as a rule each colony has an exit hole to itself which seems to be exclusively used for carrying out the refuse of the garden and other waste products. The nests are made in soft clayey soil, and the reason why these large nests are divided into several smaller ones is perhaps because the ants are taught by nature the danger of constructing a large nest which may cave in or be destroyed by man or animals and the colony exterminated entirely The fact of there being several cavities, each with its garden, increase the chances of one or two nests escaping the general disaster and thus the ants have a greater facility for perpetuating their species. But whatever the reason be the ants prefer to make another cavity a little way off instead of enlarging the original nest to a size corresponding with the increase of the fungus gardens and number of the inhabitants. Tn an artificial nest of this species when all the available space had been filled I noticed that the workers carried fungus, eggs, and larvee to a dark corner of the room and proceeded to found another nest. ‘The mushroom gardens consist of a gray spongy “mass full of chambers like a coarse sponge, containing the “larvee, pups and workers. This mass never touches the sides of “the cavity, and there is always a clear space of about a “finger’s width between the garden and the wall of the cavity. “The older part is differently coloured, but not very sharply “marked off from more recent growth. The older part is “yellowish red in colour; newly built portions, forming the “surface of the garden are of a blue black colour. The round “particles are penetrated by and enveloped in white fungus ‘“‘hyphe which hold the particles together. Strewn thickly “upon the surface of the garden are seen round white bodies “about 0° 25 m.m. in diameter ; they always occur in the nests “except in the very young portion of the gardens. They consist “of aggregatons of peculiar swollen hyphe and are termed by “ Moller the ‘“Kohlrabbi” clump.” ‘These form the principal food of the Ants. On the authority of Kew the fungus culti- vated by these ants is the same as that found by Moller in Brazil viz: Rozites gongylophora Moller. What plants are used by the ants would be hard to tell as they use so many, but they seem to have a special liking for intreduced cnes, and are particularly FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 1/7 fond of our cultivated Cocoa. On some nests I have seen a large quantity of freshly cut leaves while on others there is no such deposit. In an artificial colony the ants deposited leaves outside the nest, as long as there was not any available room inside, and used them by degrees. Some weeks later the nest diminished con- siderably and the ants no longer left leaves outside, as there Was room in the interior, where they were deposited and used up by degrees. The roads these ants make in the woods are well known and have been ably described by Bates, Belt and otber travellers in Tropical America. Now as to the inhabitants of the gardens; there are six distinct kinds of workers or neuters the smallest being 2 m.m. in length and the largest, or soldiers, 15mm. The smallest workers perfor m the duties of nurses to the larvee and also weed the garden “and this is so well done “that a portion of it removed and grown in a nutrient solution “gives a perfectly pure culture, not even containing bacteria ;” they also go out with the leaf cutting gangs and are carried home on the pieces of leaves. They do not seem to take any part in cutting the leaves and I cannot find out why they go, unless it is because the ant doctor orders the nurses sometimes to leave their troublesome charges and take the ant equivalent of carriage or equestrian exercise. Those varying from three to six mm. are the foragers which do us the damage by cutting the leaves. Those from six to fifteen mm. are the soldiers or fight- ing ants. Their only use is the defence of the nest, and for this purpose they have strongly developed pairs of mandibles and a very large head. They cannnot sting, but draw blood at each bite. They accompany the foragers or leaf cutters, marching on the flanks of the column. Their mandibles close like scissors and are toothed, but these teeth, when viewed under a high power do not appear to be pointed but are more like the edge of the new fashioned bread knives which are so largely advertised just now. The tips of the mandibles overlap when closed. Of all the Atta species in Trinidad cephalotes is the most energetic and in the woods work day and night, but in the cocoa groves they only sally out after dark. W inged forms are found in the nest from May to July and this is the best time for killing them. Subgenus : Acromyruex, Forel A, octospinosa, Reich. = A. Giinthert, Forel. In the same way that Atta cephalotes is the terror of the country people this species is a regular plague to gardens, even those situated in the heart of thetown. They also oecur in the country districts. They do not forin such Wes colonies as do the preceding ones, but they form small nests from 4 to l cubic foot in clayey soil which they excavate, but they readily 178 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD avail themselves of any suitable crevices in the masonry of buildings, under woodwork and when once lodged there are very difficult to get rid of. Their mushroom garden is constructed in the same way as A. cephalotes, but presents a more compact appearance. The “kohlrabbi” clumps are identical with those of cephalotes, and are found in the gardens in the same way. This species attack many garden plants, but seem to be very fond of roses, which suffer very much from their forays. The workers vary from 2} to 8 mm. The smaller ones acting as nurses in the nest and not cutting leaves. The large ones seem capable of laying eggs, as an artificial nest I have containing no queen or female ant, contains newly hatched larvee although they were separated from the mother nest, six months ago. This is the species referred to by Mr. Tanner, who has made the same observation on the egg laying capacity of these large workers. Dr. Fritz Miller ascertained, many years ago, that the workers of species belonging to this genus, are capable of producing at least one fertile egg. Another curious thing about this ant is that on two occasions at different places I have seen fertilized females working just as hard and engaged in the same occupation as_ the neuters, viz: cutting leaves and carrying them to the nest. They all issued from the same nest and therefore could not have been mothers of new colonies. Any one who studies ants knows that queens will not work if they can help it and this proceeding is interesting especially as there were workers in the nests who could do the work. I also noticed that several females lost their wings in nests without any marital flight, although a few weeks later the winged ones swarmed out in the usual way on a damp evening. The larvee of these ants are covered by a white shining skin, studded over with short stiff hairs which, at their ends, are shaped like ananchor. When a nest is disturbed small workers can be seen carrying larvee much larger than themselves. And as it is quite impossible for these to open their mandibles wide enough to grasp the large larve firmly, they probably take hold of these hairs and it would seem that they are there for this purpose. Moller also records these hairs on the larve of Acromyrmex discigera from Brazil. 4, Subgenus: TracHymMyrRMEX, Forel. T. Urichi, Forel, n. sp. The nest of this species is excavated in clayey soils and never anywhere else. It consists of one chamber at about the depth of a foot and is never directly under the entrance hole, but always on one side at right angles and about 9 inches away from it. It has a habit of carrying the particles of earth which result from it’s mining operations a little way from the entrance FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 179 hole, say about a foot, and deposits them in a small conical heap. This seems to be a protective measure, for other ants always have their rubbish heaps and middens immediately near the entrance and naturally anyone in search of the ants would look near the heap of débris. I was at first deceived in this way, until I noticed their dodge in a clear piece of ground. These ants also cultivate a fungus and if it is not Rozites gongylophora it is very much like it. As in the two preceding species their “kohlrabbi” clumps consist of an aggregate of hyphe with large spherical swellings on their ends. Any roots of plants going through the ants chamber are not cut away, but are made use of to suspend their mushroom garden to which are in their case regular hanging gardens. Unlike the other species mentioned there is only one class of worker in these nests, measuring between 4 and 4} mm., and of a brownish colour with a hairy pubescence. They are nocturnal in their habits and when disturbed sham death. T have often found them on lawns in gardens and they seem to be rather common about St. Anns. They are not so dis- tructive as the preceeding species, und seem to like small fallen flowers and the fruit of various kinds of plants to be found in gardens, but at the same time they do not despise rose plants especially the young and tender shoots. They are not at all energetic and are very slow in their movements. Genus : SERICOMYRMEX, Mayr. S. opacus, Mayr. The nests of this species are constructed in clayey soil with raised entrances, consising of a narrow cylinder composed of the particles of earth resulting from their mining operations and used up portions of the mushroom garden. Internally the nest con- sists of a sort of antechamber in which I have often found flowers, leaves &c., brought in for use. Small entrances leading into the excavated cell open on this antechamber. They are about two to three cubic inches in size and like the preceding species they readily make use of any roots growing through their chambers to hang their gardens on, which is exactly like the T. urichi with the same kind of “kohlrabbi.” The larve are white and when viewed under the microscope are sparsely covered with long tapering hairs. There is only one kind of worker, never exceeding 4mm. in length. Unlike 7. wrichi they work during the day and it seems to me more so than decibe the night, “judging from observation of an artificial nest. They also sham death when disturbed, but on the whole are moreactive. They are quite harmless and like fallen fruit better than anything else, small flowers are also readily used for their mushroom gardens. 180 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD Genus: ApTeErosTicMA, Mayr. A, urichii, Forel, n. sp. Méller suggests the name of ‘Hairy Ants” for this genus on account. of the long hairs covering their bodies. Unlike Atta this species does not excavate its nests but builds them in rotten trunks of trees in any dark crevice it can find. I sue- ceeded in securing several nests intact without destroying their structure. They are built ina hanging position 7.e¢. the ants start working from the top, but never let the nest touch the bottom of the cavity. Unless the garden is quite recent and small, it is always enclosed in a delicate white covering, which on first sight looks like fine cobweb, with an exit hole at the bottom. The nests therefore look like a more or less round ball and are never larger than an apple. On breaking away this delicate covering a small mushroom garden is found consisting of irregular cells in which the ants, larve and pup, are scattered. It is at once apparent that the inhabitants are also mushroom growers and eaters, and a microscopical examination reveals the fact that they have a fungus like Atta, belonging apparently, according to Moller, to a different genus of Jozites. The chief point of interest however is that they have not cultivated and selected the “kohlrabbi” to the same degree as Atta. Their “kohlrabbi” is of lower type, the hyphe being only slightly swollen into a club shape instead of being large and spherical, and they are not aggre- gated into groups. An examination of the covering shows it to be a fabric woven with the mycelium of the same fungus which holds the cells together. The ants, no doubt, arrange and regulate the growth of this covering, with their legs and antenne. As I said before the gardens are always found under rotten wood and the ants invariably use the excrementa of wood-boring insects as a medium for growing their fungus on. I have kept these ants in captivity, but never with much success as they will not touch fruit, flowers or leaves. They took excrementa of wood- boring insects readily and cassava farine sparingly. From an economic point of view, they are therefore quite harmless. The colonies of these ants are small, not numbering more than 20 or 30 dark brown workers, all of about the same size viz. 6-6 mm. and with abnormally long legs which measure 7-74 mm. without the hip. They are of nocturnal habits. A, mayrt, Forel, n. sp. This species can be readily recognized from A. wrichit by its smaller size. The workers measure 34 32 mm., but are of the same colour and also covered with hairs. They are mushroom growers and eaters and construct hanging gardens, FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 181 not only under rotten wood but also under large stones in suitable dark cavities. They also have a covering to their garden like A. wrichii, though I have not found it in such perfec- tion as with that species, but they have the same kind of fungus and their “ kohlrabbi” seems to be of a finer quality, the hyphe are swollen into a club shape like A. wrichiz, but they are aggre- gated into regular groups, which are plainly visible. It would thus appear that mayri is more advanced than wrichii in the cultivation of the fungus. Like the preceding species it takes the excrementa of wood-boring insects to construct its garden with, but is also fond of fruits and even parts of flowers. They would not take czssava farine when I offered it to them. They are of nocturnal habits, and when disturbed sham death for many seconds. Genus : CypHomMyRMEX, Mayr. C. rimosus, Spinola. This is a common little brown ant found under the bark of trees and in damp spots about walls. It does not cultivate any fungus, but two species of the same genus found in Brazil are mushroom growers and eaters, as Moller has undoubtedly provec. Economic Notes. Of the eight species mentioned above, the last five may be considered harmless, at least the Apterostigma and Cyphomyrmex species are quite so anda TVrachymyrmex are a pest in a very slight degree, but as the nests they make are not large they can very easily be disposed of. Of the remaining species Atta cephalotes is very destructive in the country and A. octospinosa destructive in gardens in town. Cephalotes is always engaging the attention of cultivators and a few years ago an ordinance was drafted to help the planters against their tiny foes, by giving them power to enter their neighbours’ lands, to destroy nests, if the owners or occupiers would not do so themselves. Cephalotes do not seem to have any natural enemies through whose agency they could be considerably diminished, and this is not to be wondered at as they maintain a complete military department and a huge standing army of veritable giants who, like all soldiers, are remarkable for their prowess in the feeding and fighting lines. Unlike the armies of European powers they are composed, as is the army of Dahomey, of ferocious females, Their courage and daring are indomitable, for they rush on the foe without a moment’s hesitation in huge swarms and grasping any portion of him they can lay hold of never let go until their mandibles have met. If they can then release themselves they immediately make another bite and this they continue to do until their bodies have been torn from their terrible heads. 182 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD These armies are of great service to the community, making its existence pretty safe. Those ferocious hunting ants Zeiton forelit, Mayr, which are so common in the forests and render the Trinidad Agriculturist such good services by destruying much vermin on the Cocoa estates, are powerless against Atta, whose nests they seem to take no notice of, although they do not spare some other species of ants suchas Campanotus and Dolichoderus. Even if they invade the nests, they are soon repulsed (as my friend Mr. Albert Carr has seen in the woods). The Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens in a recent Bulletin calls attention to Amphisbene and Typhlops as natural enemies to parasol ants, and recommends preserving them. But these reptiles do not seem to do the ants any harm at all. As a rule Amphisbene are not found in every nest dug up, they only turn up now and then and many of them are very badly bitten and show numerous marks of the soldiers’ mandibles. It seems pretty certain that their occurrence in the nests is accidental and this also applies to the smaller 7'yphlops, which are also found there. Neither Zyphlops (nor his congener Glauconia) would be much use if he encountered a Parasol Amazon, for the formidable jaws would speedily shear him clean in two. What seems to attract these two reptiles is the number of worms in the loose soil brought up by the ants which contains much vegetable matter rejected from the mushroom garden and which is always infested by worms and insects. This of course only applies to very large nests, and the country people all say that ‘“ Two-headed snakes” as the Amphisbene are called, are only found in very large nests. The only way to deal with these ants is to poison them. Many substances have been suggested, such as Cyanide of Potassium, Bisulphide of Carbon, Coal-tar, but none of these have proved very successful. The method in general use all over the Island is that known as puddling, but it is very expensive, especially in districts where there isa want of water. Mr. Ewen patented a process a few years ago, the principle of which is driving into the nest a poisonous fume which acts instantaneously on all the ants and larve, with which it comes into contact. This process was very successful at some experimental trials, but does not seem to have been universally adopted, and agriculturists are still trying to find out something which would rid them of their chief enemy in a cheap and effectual manner. With regard to A. octospinosa in gardens, it is easy to dispose of nests built in the ground with cyanide, coal-tar or very little puddling, but when they are in masonry as is often the case, or in the roots of trees, the task of disposing of them is difficult, and some poisonous gas must be driven in with a suitable apparatus, 6th October, 1894, FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 183 NOTES ON TICKS. (Coneluded. ) O much for the naming. The apparent complete localisation of the Gold Tick in Antigua is a very curious circumstance ; and would seem incredible considering the interchange in cattle which has taken place since the parasite has been known here. For many reasons it is desirable to learn if it has spread to other islands of the group—in particular as bearing on the possible con- nection between it and the Antigua cattle disease. Similar large ticks are well known in Jamaica, the mainland, besides South Africa and different parts of Asia, but they would appear to belong to different species. While collecting the specimens for Mr. Michael, I instituted a series of experiments on the Gold Tick with a view to determining its fertility, its early life, and what became of it during the winter months. It is a matter of common experi- ence that these ticks cease to be troublesome about September, and reappear in the following May: what becomes of them in the interval? This is amatter of great importance, when it is con- sidered that any really effective action must be taken before the parasites appear upon the Cattle. It is generally acknowledged that ticks in their earlier stages are dwellers on plants. It would appear further from the accounts of explorers, who invariably seem to suffer from their attacks, that great multitudes pass their entire existence in regions where it is next to impossible for them to meet with the animal host which they so readily attack. Sir Joseph Hooker in a well known passage in his Himalayan Journals, writes as follows :— “The path was soon obstructed, and we had to tear and cut our way from 6,000 to 10,000 feet, which took two days very hard work. Ticks swarmed in the small bamboo jungle, and my body was covered with these loathsome insects, which got into my bed and hair, and even attached themselves to my eyelids during the night when the constant annoyance and irritation completely banished sleep. In the day-time they penetrated my trousers, piercing to my body in many places, so that I repeatedly took off as many as twelve at one time. It is indeed marvellous how so large an insect can painlessly insert a stout barbed proboscis, which requires great force to extract it, and causes severe smarting in the operation, Whai the ticks feed upon in these humid forests is a perfect mystery to me, for from 6,000 to 9,000 feet they literally swarmed, where there was neither path nor animal life.” It should not then be regarded as improbable that the ticks spend their winter months upon the pastures, either in the protective egg-shell or in a semi-dormant youthful condition. To this I shall return directly, indicating that the latter is probably the case, 184 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD I obtained several well-filled female ticks, and placed them in glass boxes. The largest of these weighed “17 oz. and was nearly an inch in length. All soon began to Jay their eggs. These were deposited in a heap as large or larger than the parent tick, immediately in front of the mouth. In reality the genital opening is situated very far forward, and each egg, as laid, is passed on under the proboscis. I calculated the number of eggs in several cases. It was so large as to render it almost impossi- ble to count them directly ; and I accordingly adopted the plan of weighing them. First of all I selected a small portion of the heap and counted them carefully—usually about 600. I then weighed these accurately on a delicate chemical balance. The whole mass of eggs was then weighed and the numbers easily calculated. For two of the ticks the results were 17,000 and over 20,000 respectively (the latter from the large tick referred to above.) I was not surprised to learn that the time taken in depos- iting all these eggs is considerable, especially as the oviposition is a rather complicated act in these creatures. The targer tick commenced to lay onJuly 30. By August 30 it had laid 13,000 ; and by September 10, when it finished laying, a further 7,000 had been deposited. In this case then the total period of laying was exactly six weeks. At the commencement the tick was fully distended, but as the time proceeded a gradual shrivelling took place, so that at the end the animal would not have been recognised but for the legs which stood out more prominently every day. All the female ticks died shortly after the deposition of the last eggs. Almost the whole of the 20,000 eggs hatched. To deter- mine the period of incubation was difficult, and the results varied a good deal. In two cases I noted the day on which the first eggs were laid and that on which the first young tick emerged. The intervals were 51 and 23 days respectively. In one case again the date on which the last egg was laid was noted and com- pared with that on which the last ticks were hatched. The period in this case was 32 days. From this it would appear that the time spent in the egg varies, possibly according to the condi- tion of the female at the time of removal from the animal. Inno case was there any indication that the ticks passed the winter in in the egg condition, Those eggs which were not hatched shrivelled up. With regard to the remaining experiments, they were rendered dithcult by constant absences from the laboratory. On one occasion the pots were left untended for 6 weeks, and on another for two months. A series of closed glass vessels were placed over flower pots in which plants were growing. These were in the form, of large lamp chimneys whose bases were sunk FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 185 in the earth, while their tops were sealed by plates of glass lined with cotton wool. It was found that the young ticks had extraordinary powers of insinuating themselves through the cotton wool, and heavy weights had to be placed on the glass plates before the chambers were properly secured. From the causes already mentioned, and the absence of anyone in charge of my laboratory, all the plants died long before the conclusion of the experiments ; but this seemed to make little difference to the life of the young ticks. Having preparea the chambers, small lots of eggs were inserted in test-tubes so that the date of emergence could he observed. Control lots of eggs were placed in test-tubes and plugged with cotton-wool. The length of life of the young ticks in these latter tubes was usually about a fortnight, after which they died and shrivelled up. In the closed chambers the ticks, upon hatching, immediately emerged from the open test-tubes, spread in all directions, and the cotton-wool seemed to have a special attraction for them. After a while however they congregated in small crowds, usus!ly in the axil of a leaf or some place where they were not likely to be disturbed. One of these groups contained I suppose about 200 ticks in a state of rest, immediately moving if molested. They remained thus huddled together on the leaf of a 7'radescantia for weeks. The iast ticks emerged from the eggs on October 3, and on March 4 following, or just five months later there were still some ticks living. No appreciable growth had taken place in these ; they seem merely to have been quiescent during the time, probably imbibing small quantities of vegetable matter from the surrounding grass debris in which they had wintered. The living ticks were found in dried up Bahamas grass. From these and other observations, interrupted as they were, I am led to conclude. (1). That the common, Creole or blue tick is probably the Lhipicephalus concinna of Koch, and widely distributed in these islands. (2). That the Gold Tick of Antigua, wrongly called the St. Kitts Tick, is the Hyalomma venustum of Koch. (3.) That it is not indigenous in this Island, but was in- troduced about thirty years ago from the West Coast of Africa. (4). That its young are first noted in quantities upon the cattle about May, and that the ticks cause great inconvenience till about the month of September after which they disappear. (5) That the full females lay from 15,000 to 20,000 eggs, all of which may he fertile. 186 (6). (7) FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB The time of oviposition varies with the number laid. In one case it was six weeks, the number of eggs being very large. The period of incubation varies. In cases noted it may be put down as between 23 and 51 days. All the good eggs are hatched by about October, but the young do not increase greatly in size at first. The period of vitality of the eggs is short, and any remaining unhatched speedily dry up. The young ticks born in the autumn spend the winter months huddled together in the vegetation of the pasture, probably at the roots of the old dead grass. It will naturally follow that the keeping of the pastures clean, either by burning or, much better, by cutting or feeding, will aim a severe blow at the young ticks, but a consideration of remedies I propose to leave, fur want of space, to a later number of this journal, when the very similar large ticks of the Cape, South America, India and elsewhere will be referred to.—C. A. Barser, M.A., in Leeward Islands’ Agricultural Journal, July, 1894. | Arnott, Lambied PASHING Agel ANGERS, we Hooks, WY ive, Lines, "wines &ec. &c. always on hand a large supply of SPORTING GOODS, » Guns, Rifles, Revolvers, Gunbags, Powder, Shot, Caps, Wads, Cleaning Reds. fe EDGE 3 sade ato Order. HARNESS & SADDLERY GOCDS, PAINTS, OiLS, TURPENTINE & VARNISHES. HOPATE SUPPLIES @ GHIP CHANDLERY, HIOUSEHOLD IRONMONGERY, ATIBHMRCRO,MBY SDREE,. Telephone 135. (Ojaposite Ice House.) eke) ik Gis kA Dee 36, f4ine Street, Port-of-Spain, "TE IN PIDAT. WwW HOLE ane . AND RETAIL. DRY GOOL MER ‘CHANT, Ready Made Clothing, Boots and Shoes, Hats, Umbrellas, its and Ammunition, Furniture, &c., &e., &en, FRR EE RN EN “GRON EY & CO, GENERAL MERCHANTS, | - Port-of-Spain, ERINED AD. HE: 38ir F Wale — ic CM cal AND Sir Charles Lees (Demerara), ———eernness es eee ee eee ee eee H. STRONG, Riane Warehouse, is supplied by every London Direct Steamer with - ch, ¢ ianos, Harmoniums, AND ——— GARG AAMISty all of which are specially made for this climate, and are GUARANTEED FoR 20 years, and may be had on the New Pire Purchase System. PRADA ew Ho Charge will be made for Hire if Purchased, PPD PL PLL LP LOE Mr. H. S. has a staff of competent men, he is therefore able to comply with on the shortest notice possible. a een Pe eg PIANOS REMOVED IN SPRING yan SEE Oe PIANO WAREHOUSE, Be PI Publication Conimittee : President. _#. CARACCIOLO, F.E.S., V.P.: P. CARMODY, F.I.C.; F.C.S- coh BE DEVENISH, M. A. R. R. MOLE, F. W. URICH, FES., Hon. Secretary. LOL DLO LOLOL ONO LLL Iams ‘ CONTENTS :— Report of Club Meetings : April Fe Caudal Appendage in C. Horridus Bees Dimensions of Animals... ... New Scale Insect from Grenada New Mealy-Bug on Sugar Cane New Trinidad Flounder ‘aka Ticks, epi effect on eae — eR a ie , Som a - i 7 ; ACCIDENTS WILL, HAPP Sry fP De APRA My yA RAR ARa gE Re AR rah TMU A Rape APRA PRR QAR GE Mie Insure Your Houses and Property of every description against loss by Fire in the NORWICH UNION Fire Insurance Society | one of the Oldest English Companies ESTABLISHED 1797. Head Offices: London and Norwich. DIRECTORS. President: H. 8S. Patterson, Esq., Vice-President: Major-General James Cockburn; Major F. Astley Cubitt ;S. Gurney Buxton, Esq ; F. Elwin Watson, Esq ; William Foster Bart: I. B. Coaks, Esq; R. A, Gorell, Esq; George Forrester, Esq; William Birkbeck, Esq; Edward Palgrave Simpson, Esq ; G. Hunter, Esq ; ——— Tuck, Esq. er CLAL 15 PROMPTLY AND LIBERALLY SETTLED. Trinidad Agent, RANDOLPH RUST, Marine Square. L. W. BONYUN, San Fernando. — Sub-A gent, 4 WRU MME SVO LS 3 ‘ Ryey yan Sess Annouce Pos PUN aly iste anes i ae a |e aa Res Benen eh Co dae ty GMMR Lee She baw te a, \ ~ CENTRAL FARK, “© ) Q | > # vs should be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, Port-of- Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I. ; JOU BNAL OF THE Field Naturaligts’ Club. VOL. II. JUNE, 1895. No. 8. REPORT OF CLUB MEETINGS, 19TH APRIL. RESENT: His Honour Sir John Goldney, V.P. (in the chair), Hon. Lieut. Col. D. Wilson, C.M.G., V.D., Professor Carmody, Messrs. W. S. Tucker, T. W. Carr, J. Barclay, Thos. I. Potter, E. D. Ewen, J. H. Collens and F. W. Urich, Hon. Secretary. The Secretary was directed to send a letter condoling with Mr. H. Caracciolo in his recent bereavement.-—The Secretary stated that the Victoria Institute authorities had, subsequently to the failure of the negociations for the amalgamation of the Club with the Institute in January, met and elected all the members of the Club to membership in the Victoria Institute, without exacting any membership fees and subscriptions and it would now be necessary to rearrange the meetings. He would propose that they should alternate their meetings with those of the Victoria Institute. It was decided that the meetings of the Club should take place on the second Tuesday evening of every alternate month.—Mr. Urich read a paper on a recent visit he had made to the Guacharo Caves of Oropouche and described the road, the caves and the animals he saw. Colonel Wilson, who has always been a pioneer to the opening up of some of the most fertile districts of the Island, supplemented Mr. Urich’s paper by some valuable information, he having pre- viously visited the district a short time before. The gallant Colonel referred to the rich cocoa soil to be had there, the healthiness of the district, the beauty of the scenery, the beautiful rivers, which he said, by the way, were not correctly given in the map of Trinidad. He then went on to describe how General Mendoza p97 © 188 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD came to settle on this spot and finally said that he was sure that if the place were opened up it would become one of the impor- tant cocoa districts of the Island.—Mr. Ewen said : About a fort- night ago, in the Port-of-Spain Gazette there appeared a small extract from some English paper (the name of which I don’t think was given) referring to an efticacious fever medicine given to the members of Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition, 300 years ago, by the Indians “out of hatred to the Spaniards;” when many of them were down with fever on the Caroni. The extract goes on to say that if anyone now-a-days could discover those efficacious roots and leaves, there would be many people in certain yellow fever haunted localities, disposed to barter rather more than their weight in dollars for them. I have pleasure in stating that I think I have discovered them, and if the Club can, and is inclined to barter them for dollars, I wish it all possible luck in that line. The plant is a sedge called Adrue (in Jamaica English) and Cyperus articulatus L., botanically. I am not prepared to say that that particular sedge is to be found on the Caroni, but I have no hesitation in stating—and our friend Mr. Carr, can no doubt corroborate me,—that there are many members of that genus to be found here, while it is quite reasonable to infer that the reputed curative properties by the Articulatus exist in several of them.—Professor Carmody exhibited a young ant-eater Oyclothwrus didactylus, which he had obtained from an adult female which he had been trying to keep alive, but without success.—A letter was read from Mr. Caracciolo expressing his regret at not been able to attend the meeting and forwarding a monstrosity presented by the Hon. W. Howatson and a Peripatus trinitatis found in the Botanic Gardens.—A letter was also read from Mr. Oldfield Thomas, thanking Mr. Caracciolo for some rodents he had sent to the British Museum. They were in all twelve specimens of the following species: Echimys trinitatis, Heteromys anomalus, Holochilus palmipes, Oryzomes brevicauda and Mus rattus and Mr. Thomas added that they were the first he had seen of the new species found by Mr. Chapman.—In another letter Professor Riley gave the determination of two Hemiptera Homoptera found by Mr. Caracciolo, one belonging to the family Membracide of the genus Publilia, the other to the South American genus Darnis. These were found on cocoa trees and the Professor added: “In case they are numerous the best thing is spraying the trees with kerosine emulsion, at the season when the young ones are hatched out.” There was also a communication read from Mr. Henry Prestoe, late Government Botanist.—The Secretary showed on behalf of Mr. R. R. Mole a land Planaria, a genus of worms found com- monly about the island, which prey on the contents of land- FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB 189 shells. Mr. Potter showed an insect he found in a decayed gru-gru palm on the heights of Santa Cruz, which he said resembled the Scwtigera Lamarck. Mr. Urich showed a spider belonging to the Attéide which almost exactly resembled an ant, specimens of which were also shown for comparison, At 9.30 a most interesting meeting came to a conclusion. CLUB PAPERS. ON THE FORMATION AND DISINTEGRATION OF SEGMENTS OF CAUDAL APPENDAGE IN (C. HORRIDUS. By R. R. Mote. N the Journal of February 1894, Mr. Urich and myself published a short paper embodying our observations on a South American Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). A great deal more importance kas been attached to that article in Europe than ever we ourselves credited it with and it has been translated into many German scientific papers and magazines solely because of certain references te the formation of the caudal appendage. The paper in question was dated the 15th of February 1894, just a year ago. The snake had then eight (8) segments to the rattle having lost three on April 2lst, 1893, when sloughing. At the present date he has eleven (11) and the remains of the one which was number eight on Fe- bruary 15th, last year. During the year the snake has cast his skin on several occasions but a precise record has not been kept. It has been noticed, however, that the portion (from an inch to half an inch long) nearest the rattle does not come away so readily as formerly and is only cast after a time—although turned back (reversed) like the rest of the skin, the point of attachment being the juncture of the tail with the rattle. At the moment of writing there is still a ring of sloughed skin round the base of the rattle left from the last sloughing, about a fortnight ago. The snake is confined in a box with glass sides and top which are protected from breakage on the outside by galvanized wire netting. The ends are perforated zine. The wooden frames in which the glass is set have squared and not rounded corners; the bottom of the cage is rough unplaned wood with two planed cross bars. There is consequently very little to give rise to friction in the rattle, yet the segment which was number eight on February 15 (1894) has worn almost completely away, only the edges remain and in the 190 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD centre can be seen the terminal portion of the seventh segment which will eventually become the last one. It has also been observed that great holes have been formed in several of the rattles within the last few months; especially is this the case on the under surface and there are general symptoms of disintegration in that the older pieces and those furthest removed from the tail are much looser than those which are the result of recent exuviations. The snake has a splendid appetite and gets plenty of food, consequently observations on the growth and decay of the rattle are conducted under most favourable conditions. It is noticeable that as the period of sloughing draws near the new segment which is of a_ bluish bla¢k colour, can be seen growing out from underneath the scales and pushing the last formed rattle out. In this con- nection it mi: ay be interesting to note that a fortnight ago I received a specimen of another crotaline—Lachesis muta. This snake is now about to change her skin and I observe that the base of the caudal] spine is dark coloured just as it is in the basal segment of the rattle of C. horridus. As the time approaches when the snake becomes temporarily blind the new rattle is pushed right out and the scales which covered it can be seen attached to. it, presenting a withered, yellowy-whitish appearance, their free points being somewhat raised. These disappear in time and on the last occasion I searched the false bottom of the box in order to recover them if they had dropped. TI only found two portions of scales and I could not say positively whether these had fallen from the new segment of the rattle or not. After the skin is cast the new segment gradually assumes a pale, yellow colour which subse- quently changes into the general hue of the majority of the segments. About the 20th October last the snake appeared to be going to change, and the eyes became pale blue as they always do at this period, but no sloughing took place. Again at Christ- mas time were similar indications observed, but were followed by no exuviation. The change, however, was efiected about the first of the present month and now there is not only the new segment but another one which is forming and pushing the new one out. The box is kept near a window and people are con- stantly passing, but it is very rarely that the snake springs his rattle, in fact it is only after considerable teasing that he can be induced to do so at all. The time when he ane uses it, is when he is swallowing a large rat, when, if disturbed, he keeps up a continuous and very loud whirring noise. The reason for this, T imagine, is that when the rat is half swallowed the snake feels that he is in a defenceless position as he could not readily either disgorge or swallow the rat and while his mouth is so full he would be utterly unable to use his fangs. He therefore springs his rattle as much to say :; “look here, you know I am a FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 191 terrible fellow and I am very cross to-day, so don’t come near me or youll repent it.” He blusters because he is helpless. Some time ago a very small snake with about two segments of a rattle was brought to me, I put it in a box which I placed on top of the large snake’s cage. The tiny snakeling made a very weak (almost inaudible) sound with his puny rattle. The result was that the large snake at once sounded his and kept it up for some minutes. I cannot, however, say that he has since then given any further indication of recognition of a fellow prisoner. Although it has no direct connection with the subject I may mention that when I received the Lachesis I referred to a few minutes ago I had no suitable cage to put her in and conse- quently I was obliged to get her to chum in with the rattle snake. The latter at once gave undoubted evidences of great excitement but it was very noticeable that in paying his attentions to the visitor (who so far as I am aware disaproved of them) he did not once use his rattle. The snake almost invariably sounds his alarm when one suddenly approaches his box in the dark. The sudden flash of a lamp will often produce a warning note. With reference to the material of which the rattle is composed it appears to me to be simply thin horn very much like the material composing one’s finger nails. As the various pieces become detached from the end of the snake’s tail they are naturally cut off from vital sources and simply become dead horny segments, attached to each other by a purely mechanical arrangement, the older ones at the extremity are therefore constantly wearing out and the rattle is as con- stantly being renewed from the base. 15th February, 1895, AppitionaL Nore.—Since the above was written this snake has lost eight segments of his rattle and has now (having added one) only four. The portion broken off in sloughing has several turned back scales attached to it in fact seven of the segments have each one, and there is a large one to the third. The process of gradual disintegration by friction is well exem- plified in this rattle. THE DIMENSIONS OF ANIMALS. By R. R. Mote. HE object of these few notes is simply to point out how exceedingly unreliable are the statements which the majority of people make about animals with which they are not familiar, of which they only obtain a glimpse, or have seen dead. As a rule no attempt is made at arriving at the correct dimensions of a dead animal until the skin is removed and then it is 192 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD the skin and not the animal itself which is measured, and the consequence is we are, in after years, asked to believe the most astonishing tales as to the size of these wonderful creatures. Old men tell us frequently that in their young days the deer were much larger and the peccaries fiercer than they are in these degenerate times and it seems as if in the majority of cases time has not only mellowed but exaggvrated their reminiscences. Probably, if the real facts could be ascertained, we should find that the tremendous animals which were kiiled by our fore- fathers were very ordinary brutes after all. Jt is my intention to record a few examples of this tendency to exaggeration which I have come across, not only in books but under my own observation. One of the first instances of this was the remark- able story told me by some school fellows of the repulse of a fierce yellow animal with gleaming teeth and arched back, of the dimensions of a small donkey, which attacked them in a country road. i~> @ *. y Ema a ee + + es BY SPECIAL APPOINTMENT TO HE, ‘Sir F. Napier Broome, ‘oe Sir Charles Lobe (Demerara pe H. STRON G, [Piano Warehouse, is supplied by every London Direct Steamer with — uA y; | Panos, armor —— AND — NEVRVNIS all of which are specially made for this climate, ae are 1 ie GUARANTRED FoR 20 years, and may be had on the No Charge will be made | for Hire if Purchased, PPP ILO Mr. H. 8. has a staff of competent men, he is therefore Re to comply with . N11 Orders to Tune and — on the shortest notice possible. Tee intentaaee t-0) Spain, Trinidad, B.W.T. sincere et la plus courtoise -LABOULBENE. Publication Wowmmittee : HENRY CARACCIOLO, F.E.S., R. CONTENTS :— Report of Club Meeting: December ... He Trinidad Scorpions and Pedipalpi— Description of ... et ess Two Embide from Trinidad Some Economic Plants and their Planting Prospects ; a Coccidze from the Island of Grenada— Notes on a small collection of ... Warning Colours and Mimicry... The Courting of Animals |e ABERCROMEBY STRET. Telephone 133. (Opposite Ice House.) j | mn DR OF PK ADA. | 36, Kine Street, Port-of-Spain, TRINIDAD, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. DRY GOODS MERCHANT. Shaeah Made Clothing, Boots aud Shoes, Hate: Umbrel is, Guns, Ammunition, Furniture, &c., &e., ~ CRONEY & CO, GENERAL MERCHANTS, : Port-of-Spain, Wi HES A WD. BY SPECIAL APPOINTMENT TO HE. Sir F, Napier Broome, K, 0M.G, T AND Sir Charles Lees (Demerara). OLIN ON IN ew ne sie IO eee ee eee H. STRON G Rian Warehouse, is supplied by every London Direct Steamer with {ianos, Aarmoniums, —— AND —— Wek” iG AGN MG all of which are specially made for this climate, and are ; GUARANTRED FOR 20 YEARS, and may be had on the Pew ire Purchase System. ee ere LO NLP LONI LILI IS Ol SL Nl ll, No Charge will be made for Hire if Purchased. SPP LOL PII NINN Nd el ed ol Nol a Mr. H. 8, has a staff of competent men, he is therefore able to comply with W11 Order's to Tune and Repair ve _ on the shortest notice possible. PPPPPPRPPPRAP LAPD PDPAPOPOOL PEI te PIANOS REMOVED IN SPRING VAN. at ae la aaa PIANO WAREHOUSE, : St. James Street, Port-of-Spain. Be . hay Ui i Ck AAR A iad a A ey a | us " INN 100011