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 Nov., I9o 5 I A WINTER WITH THE BIRDS IN COSTA RICA I59 'temporal (steady and protracted rains) set in and we were forced to depart for San Jos& During our very brief stay (of less than 24 hours) at the lecheria on Turri- alba some exceedingly rare species, including one new to science, were taken. What could have been found duriug a week's exploration is, of course, purely a matter of conjecture ! On May 2oth I started, in company with my friends Zeledou and Alfaro, on my last collecting trip in Costa Rica. Going my rail to Cartago we took horses and rode to the lecheria "San Juan" on the volcano of Irazfi, at an altitude of about 8500 or 9000 feet, and from there made two trips, on foot, to the top of the volcano ( f5oo) feet). The forest on Irazfi (of which, however, but little remains) consists chiefly of oaks, and is very different indeed from that on either PoSs or Turrialba. The remnant of this forest is a narrow belt just below the ash-cone, and gives way abruptly to a rather scattered growth of small trees and bushes which become more and more sparse and small as the summit of the peak is ap- proached, until on the highest point only a scattered growth of stunted shrubs, largely ericaceous (Vaccinium-like) exists. It is only in this upper thicket-growth thatJunco wdcani is found, but there it was common and we had no difficulty in securing the desired number of specimens. Its associates were a high mountain form of tlrachyspza capcrisis and a small wren (Thrfarchilus speciesa), besides a few species, notably Chlaraspingus pileatus and C. zeledani and Pezapetes capitalis, which occur as intruders trom lower parts of the mountain. There are other matters concerning my experiences in Costa Rica, that might be of interest, but to extend this article much further might prove tiresome to the reader. Nevertheless I cannot resist the temptation to record some observations which may be useful to those who contemplate a first collecting trip to the Tropics and would like to knov something as to the possible dangers and difficulties to be encountered. From my own experience I would say that these have been either greatly exaggerated or misrepresented, and that of all the alleged terrors of tropical collecting those/east to be dreaded are the climate (except xvhere excessive rains prevail), annoyance from insect pests, and danger from poisonous reptiles. Of danger from wild animals there is absolutely none. Even in the tierra caliente the heat is not nearly so great nor so oppressive as during the hottest weather in our Atlantic States, and the nights are always cool. On the mountains the climate is ideal, except where rains and heavy mists are frequent. It is true that there are, almost everywhere, some .ffarrapatas(seed-ticks), calaradillas(red-bugs or chiggers), fleas, and mosquitoes; but [ have on many occasions suffered far more from each of them in the States than at any time in Costa Rica. As to venomous creatures, I saw during the entire six months spent in Costa Rica only three snakes, two of these being harmless kinds, and not a single scorpion or centipede! No doubt there are localities where there is more or less danger from this source; but the fact that I saw so little evidence of it during an experience of six months, in all sorts of places, from sea-level to the highest point of land, is ample proof that as a deter- rent to pleasurable collecting the risk is so very slight as to be really not worth considering. There is, however, a class of creatures that nmst be reckoned with-- the numerous kinds of stinging bees, wasps, and hornets, which in certaiu districts (more especially in the dryer interior and Pacific slope) have their nests, some- times several of them, in almost every three. It is necessary to keep a sharp look- out for these, for the sting of some kinds is exceedingly painful and their attacks most savage and determined. The fire-ant is another nuisance but can easily be new form, soon to be described by Mr. Outram Bangs.