Journal of The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996

Natura Maxime Miranda in Minimis

Published July 1996 UVING WORLD is a published biennially by the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club. All rights reserved. Typesetting by Detta Buch, design and mechanical art by Ichris Industries, 63 School St, Carenage, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 EC:litorial Contents There were eight founders of the Freidric William Urich rinldad Field Naturalists' Club in Fr.Anthony de Verteuil C.S.Sp...... 3 1891, and biographies of five of the Forest Decline in Trinidad & Tobago I~ ere published in the centenary issu Paul L.Comeau ...... 6 of 1991-1992. This issue includes on The Revegetation of the McClean Monument ~f F.W. Urich, the last of the well Victor Quesnel, T.Frankie Farrell, Anne Hilton, John Hilton and Luisa Zuniaga •.•9 iknown founders. The remaining IW Back to Landscaping... and in style! left no published material and facts Dennis Nardin ...... 13 rabout their lives are so scant that more Guanapo Cave bea.ch will have to be done before we Joannah P.E.C.Darlington ...... •...... 15 publish anything worthwhile. Fr d Some Recent Reptilian Introductions to Trinidad trteuil's account of the life of Uricli Hans E.A. Boos ...... •...... 17 ~ as published in his book "The Noteworthy Bird Records for Trinidad & Tobago, 1993-1994 nnans in Trinidad" (1994) jUld he floyd E. Hayes ...... •...... 20 ! ciously gave us permission t Distributional Ecology of Selected Ebstract what we wanted from lhis pnbJ Plants and Animals on Trinidad!s 1ication. We thank him sincerely. Five Islands Archipelago In the early years of the club there Stanley A. Temple ...... 22 probably no talk of conservation The Skipper Butterflies because at that time there was DO obvl (Hesperiidae) of Trinidad iFs need for iL Now the need should Part 8, Genera group E (second section) !obvious to everyone, even those In . Matthew J. W. Cock, •..•...... •••••.••.•.••••••••••.•••27 iPIaces who can do something about I Life History Data for Three Tyrant Flycatchers !!'at prefer to remain inactive or ~ Victor C Quesnel ...... •...... 38 ___ m~ Book Reviews 1979 journal (so labe1Ied incorrectly Birds of Trididad & Tobago: A Photographic Atlas· R. Barrow A Guide to Wild flowers of Trinidad & Tobago - E. Duncan _ ••••••••••••39 fl979-1980) we opened it to !tion matters and in the next issue ~ed the paper by Adams and ! The Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club ~ntitled "What is an Endange~ The Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club was founded on the 10th July, [Plant?" Now we pnblisb a packag~ 1891. Its name was changed to the present on in 1974. It was incorporated by an ~ pa)lCl$ on different aspects of oon Act of Parliament (ACf No.17 of 1991). The objects of the club are tobring rvstIon problem. Paul Comeau together persons interested in the study of natural history, the diffusion of knowl­ ~e reasons fo~ forest decline in edge thereof and the conservation of nature. ~dad and 'lbbago; the club's Botany Monthly lecture meetings are held at St. Mary's College on the second Thursday P descn'bes their study of revegeta­ of every month while field excursions are held on the last Sunday of each month, jIion in an abandoned quarry, and DeniSj except December. \Nardin, the fOllDer Ambassador 0 Membership is open to all persons of at least fifteen years of age, who suscribe to France to this country (who was the objects of the club. ~e and valued member of the club~ ~es an account of the conservati'1 Management Committee - 1996 ~.fforts in the built-up areas of France. I President...... Ewoud Heestennan t a warning about what we may be Vice President ...... Paul Christopher ling in the next 20-30 years. Honorary Secretary ...... Rosemary Hernandez The remaining articles require n . Honorary Assistant Secetary ...... Ruth Bharath special comment. Treasurer...... Selwyn Gomes Committee Members .... Dan Jaggemauth, Shachindra Tripathi, Paul Comeau V.C.Q. President, Tobago Branch ...... David Rooks

Editorial Committee ~ Editor ...... •...... Victor Quesnel ~ntCover: Typesetting ...... Detta Buch 'Silhouette of Coole's Butterflies and a pot' Layout ...... Paul Christopher bit of Ann/is I'XIreIIIIIS. iJ'ic:tuITs of Ann/is Extrenuu by Hans Boos; All enquiries concerning the dub or its joumal shoukI be addressed to the Honornry IGraphics by Puul C/rrisropheT Secretary, P.O. Box 642, Port of Spain, Republic ofllinidad and Thbago

Living World Journal of the Trinidad dt Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 2 Friedrick William Urich Fr.Anthony de Verteuil C.S.Sp. Spiritan House, Frederick St., Port of Spain

According to an old tradition, the Jom their two uncles, Christian and waters of the bathtub. l\vo vampire bats Urich family originated in Switzerland .. Anselm Gerold, who ran a business in were kept in a cage in the yard. Large In 1888, Adolf christened his new home the capital, Port of Spain, and that later tarantulas (hopefully safely confined) at St. Ann's. just outside Port Of Spain, they might possibly go on to the United were fed regularly on cockroaches. Schweitzer House, that is Swiss House. States. Consulted about strange insects devour­ However, the records from Germany And so, aged twenty one, Friedrich ing the tomato plants, he found in them show that as early as 1606, the Urich Urich came out to Trinidad, to be fol­ subjects for delightful study and not family were established in a little prin­ lowed shortly after by his brother pests for destruction But his favourite cipality of Hesse, at first at the village Wilhelm, and his first cousin Adolf pet, which was often given the run of of Umbstadt and then a century later at Wuppermann. the yard, was a thick six-foot-Iong the town of Erbach. This was in "the Eventually, the Gerolds sent macajuel, named Cleo. On one occasion very heartland of the beautiful mountain Friedrich to Angostura (Cuidad Bolivar) while he was entertaining guests, most region of the Odenwald and the in Venezuela .... .!n 1834 Freidrich appalling screams were heard coming Vogelsberg, Hessen-Darmstadt and returned to Trinidad where he joined his from the maid in the yard. Urich rushed Oberhessen, - each little town with its uncles in the firm of Gerold and Urich. out and returned in a moment to the church; castle, framework houses with He returned to Germany to get married house, quite calmly announcing en pas­ pious sentences carved into beams, in 1841. In his diary he gives a full sant that it was only Cleo! - the maid flower cases on the windows." description of his proposal to Minchin had gone to the dimly lit toilet and once For some two centuries the Urichs Wilhemina Bauer... They had three sons in situ had discovered to her shock, that were tradesmen or technicians, - shoe­ and one daughter, Sophie, all born in Cleo was inspecting her from close makers, surveyors, - marrying among Trinidad. The family lived on proximity. their own social class, though in 1728 Abercromby Street. Their first child, Urich was a most congenial compan­ Johann F. Urich, then a shopkeeper, and Johann Frederick, born on the 4th July ion. In Snake Hunter's Holiday, by no doubt deeply pierced by Cupid's 1842, was Baptized at Trinity Cathedral Ditmars and Bridges, a description is shaft, married, perhaps just a little bit on the 7th October. When he was twen­ given of him and his house in 1930. below his level, a blacksmith's daughter. ty seven years old, in 1868, he married After 1750, his son, Johann Otto Urich, Marie Kernahan in St. Thomas. "About ten 0' clock we called on the is described as a Burgher, and Otto's The most notable of Frederick's chil­ professor. He lived behind a pink stucco son, Johann Balthazar Urich, born in dren was Friederick William, popularly wall and an iron grill gate in a tiny little 1777, became a land law actuary and known as 'Jangoons'. Born in 1872, he house that looked old-fashioned even married Caroline Gerold, the daughter was educated partly in Trinidad, partly for Port of Spain, where gingerbread of the Mayor of the nearby town. They in France and Germany (Cologne). He effects are much appreciated as addi­ were blessed with nine children, five married Marie Seheult and had one tions to architecture. We knocked and boys and four girls, and in spite of the child, Marie Louise (Liesel). His wife waited, knocked again and waited very difficult times consequent on the lived for years at Pau in the south of again , and presently an ancient Negress Napoleonic wars, they were all well France where their daughter was edu­ opened the door a crack and peered out. educated, one of them in fact, was to cated It was perhaps fortunate for her She promised to see if the professor was become a medical doctor. that she was not in Trinidad, for her at home and we stood in the sun and The outlook that was later to be husband was the quintessential scien­ mopped our faces until she returned and described as Bildung (Education) was tist. He had laboured for a short while in silently opened the door. Cecilia was a already in existence. It included a feel­ the civil service but his great work was master of English and patois and as deft ing for scholarship and art and for over­ as an entomologist and zoologist, and as at mixing rum punch as her master, we aU intellectual and moral striving. This a professor at the Imperial College of discovered later, but she never used admirable, solidly middle-class, Tropical Agriculture (the forerunner of words when a gesture would talk for Protestant ethic, the Urich's were to the University of the West Indies). He her.One glance around the living room bring with them when they came to was never so happy as when he was cel­ told us we had not mistaken the house - Trinidad. ebrating the beauty and wonder of a naturalist lived here. Professor Urich's In 1828, the Urich family council nature and especially in the smallest of living room spoke eloquently of a man decided, that two of the young men in creatures. and a scientist. There were a couple of the family, Friedrich Gottfried, born in His home was basically a scientific small tables, marble-topped and 1807, and his brother Wilhelm, just a laboratory. A visit to the bathroom unadorned, a few chairs, some stiff old year younger, should sail out to the would produce a glimpse of the insects oil paintings of stiff old gentlemen (his island of Trinidad, in the West Indies, to known as "St.Peters" walking on the ancestors), and that was all that really

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1 996 3 belonged to the room. Everything else an active member till shortly before his among the many problems which he was there because the Professor had death. His papers were always interest­ studied may be mentioned his work on dropped it there when he came in from ing, for instance, speaking on the Cacao Thrips and on the Sugar­ a field excursion. A bay window was "Mosquitoes and how to deal with Cane Frog-Hopper. His work on the for­ pretty well taken up with empty cages them", not only did he suggest using the mer pest attracted much attention and he spent some time in the neighbouring of wire and wood ; you had to look tiny fish Cyprinodonle to control the colonies giving advice on control mea­ larvae, but brought a bowl of the fish smart or you would trip over cans for sures and even travelled to San Thome transporting small fish. A heap of col­ into which he poured the larvae, which at the instance of the Portuguese lecting bags filled one comer, bat nets the fish (presumably starved in Government. He was also one of the the place of honour in the only rocking advance!) hungrily devoured. He stated very first entomologists to recognise the chair, and the handles leaned against the that though a $100 prize had been possibilities of the biological control of wall. The place was clean - scrubbed offered for the best means of raising insect pests and he did much to put this and spotless - but it was the habitation dragonflies to eat mosquitoes, there was on a scientific basis. Several outstand­ if a man who lived alone and for his as yet no practical results. He ended by ingly successful introductions of preda­ own convenience. By all accounts, recommending that Eucalyptus branch­ cious and parasitic insects into other countries from Trinidad are the direct Professor Urich knew more about the es could be hung by windows, the smell outcome of his pioneer work in this natural history of Trinidad than any driving the mosquitoes away. Speaking on the feeding habits and skin-shedding field. other man living .... He was stout and As a field naturalist Urich was unsur­ of the rattlesnake, he brought a rat­ grizzled with a heavy, furrowed face passed. His knowledge of the local tlesnake to the proceedings - but the tanned by many an expedition afield. fauna was truly amazing and he has animal would not oblige, it neither ate But his face was kindly and stamped done much to encourage its study by nor shed it's skin nor rattled. with that thoughtfulness and openness others, being a foundation member of that you so often find in men who have The following are extracts from the the Field Naturalists' Club and an active spent their lives working out the puzzles September 1937 issue of the "Tropical participant in it's functions to the end of of nature ...... Agricultural Journal", published shortly his life. His reputation abroad was, We returned to Port of Spain and the after Jangoon's death. indeed, as much due to his work as a Professor took up the familiar shouting, " Urich was a particularly outstand­ naturalist as to his more strictly official

"Cecilia, fais trey punch!". "You know ing example of the "born naturalist" 1 a achievements, a reputation which his your President,Teddy Roosevelt, was type which is all too rare these days .He considerable linguistic ability did much fond of rum punch," he remarked as we was one of those students to whom sci­ to assist. sat around the little marble-topped table entific observation of living things is But apart form his technical qualifi­ in his living room in the fast- gathering second nature and in his own subject, he cations, Urich will long be remembered darkness, " He visited me here in 1916. certainly had an infinite capacity for for his engaging personality. He was a At that time I happened to be in South taking pains. No group of animals ever man of simple, yet cultivated tastes in Trinidad working on cane parasites and seems to have been too insignificant to many ways and he had the gift of mak­ a messenger came out with orders to attract his attention with the result that ing and retaining friendships. Several return to Port of Spain immediately. his knowledge of species and of their generations of students from the Teddy wanted to see the natural history modes of life was monumental. Imperial College will have kindly recol­ of the island and I was assigned to show A lifetime of distinguished technical lected his association. Naturally, we it to him. I think I must have succeeded. work can hardly be summarised, but who worked in his own department I showed him everything. I rather think knew him best, but for several years he he was on a diet of some kind and Mrs. came into contact with members of Roosevelt didn't want him to drink, but other departments, particularly through we used to stop in here before we the week-end excursions which he used reported to his hotel after a day in the to organise to Aripo, Tuchuche and field, and have two or three rounds of other parts of the Northern Range, of rum punch. The day we went to a bat which he was so fond. cave, he told me to bring along a flask His Services were retained for the of punch. He told Mrs. Roosevelt it was study of the local bats, in connection cold tea. with the campaign against paralytic Oh yes, Teddy was dee-lighted with rabies. In this subject he made some the punch." notable discoveries on the feeding Urich was a foundation member habits of carnivorous bats, which have a (along with Broadway, Cacacciolo and great importance in control operations. Mole) of the Field Naturalists Society, It was fortunate that he was able to pub­ which held their first meeting on the lish at least a part of his work on this 10th July 1891. He was for some time subject before his illness overtook him. the Secretary-Treasurer and contributed The importance of Urich's contribu­ numerous papers to the society, being tion to the scientific world becomes Living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995· 1996 4 clear when account is taken of the "As I grew up our friendship became others it was narrow and deep. We were numerous new animal species that he closer because of photography. He had sometimes up to our waists in water. discovered in Trinidad, which were very good equipment and often worked There was always the danger of drop­ hitherto unknown to modern science late into the night. I was always there ping our torches which would have put and which have consequently been with him. I became a very good photog­ us in a very difficult position. We trav­ named after him. The distribution of rapher myself. He used to lend me his elled about a mile up the caves. No one few (if any) is confined to Trinidad, and valuable equipment when I went off for has ever been to the end of it. There is subsequent to his identification of the jaunts into the county. We had many a deep cave at the top of the Aripo species, most have been discovered also expeditions togethet. One of the most Range which is supposed to be the on the South American mainland. Not interesting was a visit to the caves in the source of the stream but no one has ever surprisingly since Urich was also an Oropouche valley. We left before dawn entomologist, sixteen species of insects and met the other members of the party entered one end and come out tbe other. are numbered among the new species: at the end of the driving road about nine My hot coffee came in very useful on five types of ants, a moth, a butterfly, miles from the caves. There were about the way back. Jangoons, who was get­ and nine other kinds of insect, including ten of us in the party, which included ting old then, looked very tired. He had Liothrips urichi, which was used in one Sir Geoffrey Evans, the Principal of to have a rest. I gave him my hot coffee. of the earliest examples of biological I.C.T.A. and a few students. The walk, Got him to sit on a log and told the oth­ control. But in· accord with the scien­ up hill and down dale for 9 miles was ers to carry on. I would come along very tist's wide range of interests, discoveries strenuous. We each carried a torch and slowly with Jangoons. We managed to named after him vary widely, from a our food. Among mine was a thermos of get back to the car before dark. I cannot tiny field mouse, Alwdon urichi, to a hot coffee. The cave follows the course close this part of my recollections with­ cute little frog with iridescent blue eyes, of a subterranean river. It was not easy out mentioning Jangoon's rum punches. E1eutherodacty/us urichi and even to a going in pitch darkness. At times the They were famous. It was a ritual with plant, a vine of the family Vacciniaceae roof was very low. There was danger of him. The most important part was a with wax-like red and white flowers, hitting your head on the stalactites. fresh lime preferably just picked off the Psammisia urich;, (common name, wild Before each step one had to ascertain tree. The punch was not mixed in a jug clove) found only at the top of Mount the height of the roof above and the like everybody else's. That No! The Thchuche and Cerro del Aripo. (A com­ depth of the stream below. The only plete list of his discoveries is given sounds were the murmur of the stream glasses were placed in a row. Into each below.» and the flapping of the guachero birds, was placed a small quantity of sugar. Even when he was well past middle that are . the size of a chicken. Then a little water to melt the sugar, age, "Jangoons" continued to lead expe­ Sometimes one had to clamber over then the rum ( and lime) and last of all ditions to the northern range. One of his rocks that were very slippery with the crushed ice to fill the glass. Each was friends describes a visit to look for droppings of the birds. In some places mixed with a small spoon and then Guacharo birds: the stream was broad and shallow, in ready to be consumed". 0

• The following is a complete list of all the species discovered by Urich and to which his name was consequently given:

1. Caecorhamdia urichi. - the blind cat-fish found only in the Cumaca cave 2. Akodon urichi - mouse. 3. Eleutherodactylus urichi- frog 4. Symmachia urichi - butterfly 5. Anastrepha urichi - a fly 6. Lygistorrhima urichi - a fly 7. Embia urichi. - a strange little insect that spins webs with silk from glands in the front legs. 8. Natada urichi. - a moth 9. Waldheimia urichi. - hymenopteran insect. 10. Xenomymar urichi. - hymenopteran insect. 11.Trissolcus urichi. - hym. insect. 12 .Spelaeomyrmex urichi. -an ant. 13. Sericomyrmex urichi. - an ant. 14. Apterosligma urichi. - an ant. 15. Trachymyrmex urichi. - an ant. 16. Camponontus urichi. - an ant 17. Paraleyrodes urichi. - a bug 18. Liothrips urichi. - a thrips 19. Xyleborus urichi. - a /feetle 20. Psammisia urichiana - a vine of the family Vacciniaceae

Living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 5 Forest Decline in Trinidad & Tobago Paul L.Comeau c/o The National Hcrbcrium, U.w.1. , SI. Augustine, Trinidad

Perceptions of a tropical forest. The majority arc mcsophytic, i.e. they biomass and diversity of animal life. are neither swamps nor deciduous, but Root penetration is not always shallow, "Man masters nature not by the greater the moisture extremes, the some tropical trees can form large tap­ force but by understanding" fewer the species. Tropical forests have roots and sinkers penetrating to a depth (J.Bronowski). gaps in the canopy owing to natural tree of several meters (4% of native Trinidad fall which increase light intensity. As & Tobago trees fall into this category, Personal bias contributes to society's for being dangerous, highways are more e.g. black kiskidee, galba, chenet, perception of a forest.To nature enthusi­ so; getting to the forest can be more angelin, locust, puni, guatecare, balata, asts, it is a place for recreation and edu­ risky than being inside the forest. These cypre, yellow poui, and black fiddle­ cation; to environmentalists, it is a misconceptions influence our attitude wood). Seed production in some species reserve for natural regeneration and bio­ when our attention is focused on the tends to increase over a 4 to 5 year peri­ diversity; to forestry officers, it is pro­ forest. In Trinidad and Tobago, most of od then crash (eg. mora). Nutrients are tection for watershed or space for tree us refer to the forest as bush, a term that recycled above ground in shallow-root­ plantations; to hunters, it is a place to often implies it is useless, a nuisance ed trees, making the soil beneath nutri­ obtain wild meat, and a place to exer­ and deserving of no respect. It is either ent deficient. Drip-tips on many emer­ cise dogs; to poachers. it is access to the ignored, avoided, chopped or burnt. gent trees are developed only in the black market; to governments it is a From the roadside, the forest can look under growth, and seedling leaves may SOUTce of foreign exchange; to taxono­ like an impenetrable, tangled mass. This not resemble the the leaves of the mists, it is a place to find new species; is the result of edge-loving species tak­ mature plant. Soil characteristics can to paper manufacturers is a source of it ing advantage of increased light, inva­ vary considerably over very short dis­ pulp; to sawmill operators, it is a source sion by weedy plants and frequent dis­ tances (as little as 10 m). There is no of building material; to the handicraft turbance from roadside fires. diurnal fluctuation of soil temperature industry, it is a source of raw material; below a depth of 75 cm. Beyond this seemingly impenetrable to squatters, it is a site for clearing; to barrier a few surprises may be in store bird watchers, it could be paradise; to Historical perspective (Longman & Jenik 1987); the tangled Town and Country Planning, it may be An earlier paper (Comeau 1991), mass (bush or jungle ) gives way to a site for new settlements; to ranchers, it dealt with natural events (geological openness in the understory with little is potential space for grazing animals; and botanical) in Trinidad up to the time ground cover to hinder one's move­ to engineers, it may be a site for of Columbus. The current presentation hydropower development; to mining ments. The climate is not uniform (hot covers the botanical natural history of and humid) but is highly variable companies, it is a hindrance; to subsis­ Trinidad & Tobago since Columbus the tence farmers, it is a source of firewood depending on elevation. Seasonality can last 500 years. Important historical or forage; to chemists, it is a source of be slight (rain forest) or pronounced events that influenced the natural vege­ pharmaceuticals via bush medicine; to (seasonal forest). Dry season rainfall tation, began shortly after Columbus's marijuana growers, it is a place for clan­ can be as low as 25 mm (1 inch), the third voyage in 1498. At that time there destine activities; to horticulturalists, it amount some deserts receive in a year. were approximately 30,000 to 40,000 is the temptation to collect and some­ Wet season rainfall can be more than Arawaks in Trinidad (Brereton 1981). times over-exploit; to animals and 4000 mm (160 inches) accompanied by Around 1620 (under Spanish occupa­ indigenous man it is home. The list is by thunder storms which can damage the tion) the Amerindian population had no means exhaustive but it does repre­ forest by rain impact and high winds, declined to about 4,000. The chief sta­ sent a wide spectrum of attitudes; some not fire . Heavy rains actually lower ple of the country was tobacco while negative, others allowing for compati­ light intensity (more cloud cover) and cacao was grown on the hillsides ble management practices on a sus­ temperature. Tropical trees do not grow (Espinosa, ca. 1620). In 1783, the tained basis. continuously throughout the year. Very European population of Trinidad num­ few do so beyond the seedling stage. bered no more than 300. This was Misconceptions Where seasonality is pronounced, the almost 300 years after Columbus's 3rd Often our perceptions are based on age of tropical trees can be determined. voyage in 1498 (Fermor 1987). Initially, second-hand information or false Growth in numerous species is confined Spain used the island only as a stepping impressions. For example, many think to periods of a few weeks, while buds stone to Central and South America (EI of tropical forests as being hot, dripping remain dormant for much of the the Dorado) but eventually decided to colo­ wet, dark and full of danger, but it is year. This sporadic growth can also nize it with French immigrants. After hotter on our denuded hillsides or inside apply to girth and roots. The euphotic 1783, Trinidad's plantation economy a teak plantation in the dry season. A layer (upper tree canopy) is the most was controlled mainly by the French tropical forest can be pleasantly dry. productive part of the forest in terms of settlers. Deforestation started around Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 6 this time as plantations became estab­ Major Threats Are we dealing with ignorance or lished in the north and south In the The major threats to our forests are indifference? An editorial in the deep south (Moruga district) clearing fire, plantation and quarries. Minor Trinidad Guardian newspaper for did not start until after the 1820's threats in both Trinidad and Tobago Friday, April 16, 1993 states: "The more (Brereton 1981). Cotton was the most include controlled logging, diseases, forests that are destroyed by slash and important export crop by the 1780's, pests and pollution. Between 1987 and burn farmers, the more hillsides that are grown mainly by the French (they also 1989, 27,857 ha of forest and secondary denuded by bush fires, the less is the country's capacity to fill its reservoirs." grew coffee) while the Spanish pre­ vegetation were damaged by fires. This ferred cocoa as a crop. Sugar, started by represents 5% of the total land area or We are all familiar with the water woes this country faces, but how many of us the French in the 1780's as a commer­ 11 % of the total forested area in make the connection between water cial crop, had become Trinidad's most Trinidad and Tobago (Homer 1990). As excess or absence and those denuded important export commodity by the regards plantation, in 1989, between hills? Anne Hilton, a member of the 1790's. When Britain took over at the 13,143 and 15,329 ha (approximately Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' tum of the century (1797-1802) 14,236 ha or 3% of total land area; 5.5% Club and an environmental columnist Trinidad's population had risen to of total forested area) were planted with almost 20,000; in 1797 there were 2151 for the Trinidad Guardian, recently teak and pine. With respect to quarries, wrote an article entitled "The Europeans, 1082 Amerindians, 4476 in the Valencia Forest reserve and Freemen, and 10,009 Slaves (Brereton Haitianisation of Trinidad" in which she Wallerfield area 2,800 ha have been states:" Shortly after I joined the Field 1981). The Amerindian population had mined. This is 1 % of the total forested declined 75% in less than 200 years. Naturalists Club in 1967, I remember area. Thus about 17.5% of the total for­ asking what the club could do to stop Subsequent events saw the expansion est area (based on an 1897 estimate of the burning of the hills. To my surprise of the sugar industry which reduced for­ 256,613 ha) in Trinidad and Tobago has club members seemed to think I was est cover on both Trinidad and Tobago. been affected by fire, plantation and making a fuss about nothing. Hadn't I Emancipation in 1834-1838 increased quarrying. With regard to these major noticed, said they, that the vegetation the need for land (freed slaves num­ threats, Erin Savanna represents a good recovered in the rainy season? On a bered 20,656 in 1838; Brereton 1981). example of degradation. The forest in field trip to the southern slopes of the Indentureship (from 1845 until the end the Erin district has been greatly altered Northern Range (12 June 1991), during of World War I) also had the same effect by fire, and plantation forestry has been the Tropical Forestry Action (143,939 Indians came to Trinidad dur­ established in the area. The original for­ Programme project, Country Mission ing this period). From 1869 to 1880 all est surrounding Erin Savanna was Team leader nan Chalmers, when male Indians who had lived in Trinidad Evergreen Seasonal (Beard 1953). shown the denuded hillsides, made the for 10 years could be granted 10 acres Evidence of the negative environ­ comment: "Gentlemen, we are not far of state land in exchange for all claims mental impact of plantations has been from Haiti." to a free return passage to India. This well documented. Rivers flowing from land amounted to 7,717 ha (19,055 primary forest release twice as much Forest Degradation acres). Silviculture in Trinidad began water halfway through the dry season, The signs of .forest degradation are early in the 20th century. and between three and five times as all around us: Treeless slopes mainly covered in guinea grass (Panicum max­ The Current Satus much at the end of the dry season, as do rivers flowing through coffee planta­ imum) is the most visible sign. This Three states of forest (Prescott-Allen coarse grass is a tough competitor tions (Myers 1988). In addition, conver­ 1986) can be recognized in Trinidad where fires are frequent. Abundant sion of teak forests in southern India to and Tobago: the first forest (pre­ clumps of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) teak plantations caused the organic mat­ Columbian, undisturbed, approximately on slopes and ridges is another highly ter content in the upper 30 cm of the soil 7% of the total land area); the second visible sign, though bamboo staking to drop by 60% (Longman & Jenik forest (natural regeneration on aban­ (eg. for yams) on ridges could account 1987). doned farms and estates, approximately for the dominance of this vegetation 18% of the total land area); and the third Tropical forest is a valuable natural type in some areas ( ego Tobago). An forest (managed through cutting and resource, but as already demonstrated, it increase in the number of Oru-gru plantation, approximately 25% of land is not highly prized (except for some of palms (Acrocomia aculeata )is a further area). At present in Tobago, according its timber), its modification has been on indicator. Beard (1953) noted that "this to Chalmers (1992), natural forest occu­ a large scale (eg. in Nigeria, moist for­ palm has become common in Trinidad pies 4,914 ha (16.4% of land area), las­ est cover has been reduced by at least in areas of shifting cultivation but is tro and bamboo 14,613 ha (48.9%), tree 90% - Myers 1988), and it is often unknown elsewhere in the natural for­ crops 5,772 ha (19.3%) treeless areas replaced by uniform plantation species, est" (except around the fringes of Erin 4,662 ha (15.5%). The Western bulldozed for grazing land or flooded Savanna). Beard speculates that "it Hemisphere's first forest reserve was for dams. A complex system involving appears probable that burning is essen­ established on Tobago's Main Ridge in flow of energy, materials and genetic tial to the germination of the thick 1765 (Trinidad's earliest forest reserves information is sacrificed for short term walled Acrocomia seed." Other signs of were set up in 1902). gain. degradation are relic populations of the Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 7 fire-resistant coco rite palm of previous cultivation (Beard 1944, Living World, 1. Trin. & Tob. Field Nat. Club. (Maximiliana maripa ); clumps of bal­ IUCN 1982). Pigeon Hill, Tobago was 1991-1992,29-38. isier (Heiiconia bihai ) along forest private land up to 1912 and most likely EdiJorial1993 Damaging dry season. margins and inside the forest; a broken was cultivated but since that time it has Trinidad Guardian, Friday April 16, 1993. forest canopy with numerous dead formed part of the Forest Reserve and is standing trees; pine (Pinus caribaea ) now covered in vegetation characteristic Espinosa, Vazquez de (/Qu 1610's) The West and teak (Tectona grandis ) plantations; of Lower Montane Rain Forest (Beard Indies. Smithsonian Miscellaneous and coconut (Cocos nucifera ) planta­ 1944). Collections. 102:56-61. tions in coastal areas. What of future forest reserves? The Fermor, PL 1987 The Travelers Tree. best candidates in Trinidad are the Lessons to be Learned Eastern and Northern Ranges and the Penguin Books, 366 Some hard lessons must be learned Trinity Hills, plus the Main Ridge in Hilton, A.J993 The Haitianisation of before it's too late. "History shows that Tobago, the only areas large enough to Trinidad. Trinidad Guardian, Wednesday, long-term survival of a country depends maintain integrity of habitat. "The small­ April 14, 1993. on a balance of wild. seminatural and er the forest, the faster the decline of artificial ecosystems. Whenever insects, birds and mammals." (Linden HomerF-1990 Deforestation - causes and humans have disrupted this balance, 1989). What changes will the next 500 consequences. Flower Show Annual, The animals have disappeared, plants have years bring? To modify a line from one of Horticultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago, died, watersheds have been poisoned the first environmental songs to make the 13-14. and the soil has eroded. Such distruc­ popular music charts: "In the year 2525" tion robs both human and non-human IUCN 1981 Directory of neotropical protect­ will Trinidad's forests still survive? ed areas. IUCN Commission on National communities of their self-reliance. - the Perhaps, - provided the comet Swift­ freedom to call upon locally available Parks and Protected Areas (CNPPA). Tycooly Tuttle, due to collide with the Earth in International Publishing Ltd., Dublin, 436 resources for the goods of life, air, 2126, doesn't wipe us out first! water, food - the very basis of a secure pp. References nation." (Nikiforuk 1990). Will Beard,J,S. 1944 The natural vegetation of the Linden, E. 1989 The death of birth. Time, Trinidadians and Tobagonians take island o/Tobago, British West Indies. Ecol 133(1):16-19. heed? "Nature's economy, undervalued Morwgr 14(2):135-163. and unappreciated, performs a myriad Longman, KA. and Jenik, J.1987 Tropical of functions. In wetlands, it purifies Beard, SJ.1953 The savanna vegelation of forest and its environment. 2nd ed. Longman northern tropical America. Ecol. Monogr. Scientific & Technical, 347. water. In the mountains, it stores water 23(2):149-215. and protects against erosion. In the rain­ Myers,N. 1988 Tropical forests: much more forests, it provides storm cover and bio­ Brereton, B. 1981 A history of modern Trillidad 1783-/962.Heitunann Educational Books Ltd., than stocks o[wood. J.Tmp.Eco1. 4:209-221. logical diversity." (Nikiforuk 1990). Or London. will posterity record that these words fell Nikiforuk, A. 1990 Islands of extinction. on deaf ears? Chnlmers, WS. 1992 Trinidnd and Tobago Equinox 52:30-43. National Forestry Action Program - Report to The tropical environments are more the Country Mission Team. FAOICaricom Prescott-Allen, C. and Prescon-Allen, R. vulnerable than elsewhere. The impact of Tropical Forestry Action Program, 295 pp. 1986 The first resource, wild species in the forest devastation on the water supply in North American economy. Yale University temperate and boreal regions is some­ Comeau, Pl.. 1991 Geographical events influencing natural vegetation in Trinidad. Press, New Haven, 529 pp.O what lessened by the accumulation of organic deposits and the development of peatlands which conserve water and re lease it slowly. This back-up system is absent in the tropics and once the forest is FACTORS IN FORESTS DECLINE 1987-1989 removed the ability of the land to store water is drastically reduced. Signs of Hope There are signs of hope. however, where recovery from forest degradation has taken place. Sea island cotton (Gossypium sp .. ) was cultivated exten­ sively on little Tobago prior to acquisition by Sir William Ingram who discontinued this practice and introduced the Birds of Paradise in 1909. The island has had offi­ cial protected status since 1928. The island's present vegetation is Deciduous /987-/989 Figures for Forest Fires, Plantations and Quarrying. Seasonal Forest which shows little signs Living W()rIJ Journal of the Trinid;lu & Tohago rieh! Naturalists' Cluh 1995·199{) 8 The Revegetation of the McClean Monument Victor Quesnel, * T. Frankie Farrell, Anne Hilton, John Hilton and Luisa Zuniaga ·P.O.Box 47, Port of Spain.

The McClean Monument is the name given usually early colonisers of disturbed by the Botany Group of the Trinidad and land, but with no soil, only rock, the Tobago Field Naturalists' Club to the quany conditions for the growth of trees were on the Lady Young Road from which materi· extremely unfavourable. Other tree al was taken for widening the Churchill­ species that were common nearby Roosevelt Highway in the years 1976-1979. (bloodwood, Croton gossypiifolius; When the proposal was first put forward for saltfishwood, M achaerium the site to be used as a quarry, there was robillifolium; balsa, Ochroma pyrami· great public opposition to it, and after dale) had begun to invade, but in small months of debate and controversy, permis­ numbers only. sion for the excavation was given by the then The species in Table 1. must not be Minister of Works, Mr. Hector McClean, taken as a complete list; there are no hence the name. sedges and only four grasses. Members Excavation began in May 1976 and of these groups are hard to identify was completed in February 1979. Much without flowers and we collected only of the story of those years is told in the what was in flower. Most of the herbs Trinidad Naturalist Magazine are common weeds such as Bidens (Anonymous 1976a, 1976b). The pilosa, Mimosa pudica and Sida urens. Minister had stated that "benching" On this first visit we saw two or three would prevent landslips and encourage Fig. 1. ground orchids but did not collect them. The McClean's Monument in January 1995. the natural vegetation to grow back, but Note large trees have appeared on terraces 3 We preferred to enjoy their beauty and the company (Seereeram Brothers Ltd ) and 5 and thaty terrace 7 is now almost com· - leave them in place until our next visit. had also undertaken to replant the area plerely obscured by vegetation. September 1991. On our visit of after the excavation was complete. In the east. However, it is clear that in 10th September we noticed a big fact, replanting was never attempted some places water has rushed over the change from the seven years before. and the revegetation process was left to edge of one terrace and on to the one Some fairly large trees were evident and "Mother Nature", below. the ground cover was thicker (Fig. 1 ). The Botany Group seized the oppor­ The interest now lies in the process Although we did not attempt to make an tunity of studying the recovery, and this of revegetation. The Botany Group has exhaustive collection, and again collect­ article records the changes we have visited the site periodically, collecting ed only what was in flower, we found noticed in the past 16 years. specimens of the flora and taking pho­ 19 species that were not in the first col­ At the end of excavation the site con­ tographs. We have concentrated on the lection (Table 2 ). Many species of the sisted of seven terraces getting progres­ first four terraces, numbered from bot­ first collection were still there - perhaps sively smaller from bottom to top, and tom to top. In the following account the all of them - but the possibility of completely bare of vegetation. The rock names of all species are those given in extinctions as the vegetation changes bed is "micaceous phyllite, a loose, the Flora of Trinidad and Tobago remains a topic to study later. crumbly, material which when wet dis­ (Williams et al. 1928- ). When Table 1 is compared with plays a great tendency to slip" (Anon. Table 2 it can be seen that the later col­ 1976a). In the early days of the contro­ The Observations lection contained representatives of versy "the tendency to slip" was per­ January 1984. The site as it was seven new families, including the haps the major concern, and during the when we first visited it in January 1984 orchids that we had left uncollected at excavation minor slips did occur. Even is shown in Hilton (1984). The list of the first visit and the sedges. Of the new later, after the departure of the excava­ plants we collected is given in Table 1. species, thirteen were herbs, three were tors, there had been minor slips as is It will be noticed that there are eight shrubs (Aeschenomene americana, clearly evident in the photograph taken tree species and six shrub species Duggena hirsuta, Baccharis trinervis ) in 1984 (Hilton 1984). It showed that among the 34 species. After less than and three were trees (savonette, run-off from the terraces did not always five years no individual had grown very Lonchocarpus punctatus; white fiddle­ follow the planned course. Each terrace large nor was any of these 14 species wood, Citharexylum fruticosum; is sloped downward towards the base of very numerous. It was a little surprising Pollalesta condensata ). To us the new the next higher terrace and from east to that bois canot (Cecropia peltata) was species represented a real increase in west so that water should run off at the not more prominent and surprising too the diversity of the population and a western side of the base of each terrace, that there was no jereton (Didymopanax sign that the vegetation was slowly except the first, which slopes towards morototoni) Both of these trees are returning to its original composition. Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 9 From a conservation aspect, the most on this trip or any savonette seeds since labeled savonette saplings and carefully interesting plants were the larger trees. the savonette trees were not fruiting. avoided damaging it. It now measured These all proved to be either June 1994 . On our visit of the 26th 75 cm, at least 45-50 cm taller than Lonehoearpus punelala or Maelzaerium we photographed the site again but were when it was planted but there was no robinifolium, the two most abundant prevented from carrying out a census of trace of the other two seedlings planted species of Beard's Deciduous Seasonal the trees by a pair of aggressive young at the same time. Forest, the typical forest of the north­ men who claimed they were bee-keepers The unidentified legume of our visit west peninsula and the Boca islands and did not want us to disturbe their in February 1993 was collected and (Beard 1946 ). hives on terrace 4. We did not know what later identified at the National February 1993. On this visit (7th to make of this but decided to retire and Herbarium as Coursetia arborea .. This February) we found five new species, return another time to take the census species looks a lot like saltfishwood but wild hops (Flemingia strobilifera), after we had our photographs processed. has slightly larger leaflets and no mango (Mangifera indica ), an uniden­ October 1994. On our visit of the spines. On the more open part of the ter­ tified fig that . may have been Ficus 16th we met two older members of the races they were few in number and none nymphaeifalia, an identified member of bee-keeping group and had a long and was as tall as the largest· savonette, but the MeliaceCE and an unidentified friendly conversation with them. Their at the eastern end they were much more legume. Flemingia was something of a information answered some of the ques­ numerous and much taller, even taBer surprise. 11 is an introduced plant that tions prompted by previous visits. than the savonettes on the open terraces. has become naturalised, but it has no Apparently, they had planted some trees One other new species was added on obvious means of dispersal and we to provide nectar and pollen for their this VISit: Casearia spineseens wondered how it could have got to this bees, and these included the mango we (Flacourteaceae), of which there was site so quickly. The mango we assumed had found in February 1993 and four one shrub. had been brought by man; the others we mahogany trees, one of which was our November 1994. Before our visit on assumed had come from the surround­ unidentified member of the Meliace., . the 13th, from photographs taken on ing vegetation. They had not planted any guavas, so the previous visits, we had prepared a draw­ On this visit we collected some fruit numerous saplings we had seen as far ing of the terraces 2-4 that showed all from the savonette trees. Over fifty of back as the first visit had come in natu­ the trees and major clumps of vegeta­ the fruit were later found to be damaged rally. They had also planted one tion (Fig. 3 ). On this visit we sought by seed predators (Bruchid beetles?) savonette tree to provide shade at a "base out all the small trees in these clumps and only three seeds germinated. From camp" on terrace 1. This was by now and located them in the drawing so that these we grew seedlings for planting on quite conspicuous and can be seen in the their growth could be followed in the our next visit. bottom left hand corner of Fig.2. years ahead. October 1993 By now the seedlings According to them, their bees do not were big enough to be planted and we visit the flowers of this species because Discussion returned on the 17th to plant them on their probasces are not long enough to In any revegetation project speed is terrace 4 in spots where they were like­ reach the nectar, and true enough, the important. The longer the process takes ly to receive water running over from only bee we saw visit the flowers was a the greater will be the loss of nutrients terrace 5. All were labelled with yellow much larger native bee. Savonette was and the greater the erosion. Presumably, tags that would make them easy to flowering freely at the time, but there these considerations have guided recognise. We did not collect any plants were as yet no ripe fruit. foresters in choosing Pinus caribbea as The bee-keepers had seen one of our the species for replanting denuded

Fig 2 Pro[de of locations. Ca.- Counetia aroo.ea, cr -CiJharexyliumfruti=wn, Cg- CroIcII ga;sypiifoIius, CL Coc:r%ba IotifoIio, Cp. C"""J'ia pe/Jata, F.r< -FIDJS nymphoeifo/iI1, Lp.­ Lonchocarpts pundilJUs, M.e-Muntingia caIiburo, M.L -Mangifera indico, M.' Machaerium robini/oIium, V.p. 0c!rr0mapyramid

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 10 areas. It grows quickly, and the propa­ Savonette is better adapted to the other species because the area is denud­ gation method has been worked out and drier parts of Trinidad and may not fare ed, it may grow sufficiently well to be adapted to mass production. In our as well in wetter conditions. This may useful. The other two species grow in view, though, there are disadvantages in restrict its use somewhat, but in a situa­ central Trinidad as well as the Northern Pinus viz. it alters the look of the vege­ tion where there is no competition from Range, on both sandy and clay soils and tation, it is a foreign species with unknown long-term effects on the Table I. Plants found on the first three terraces in January 1984 native flora and the value of the timber H=heIb, SS=sub-shrub, S= shrub, T=tree, V=vine may in time divert a project from one of Family Species Habit conservation to one of sustained use, Fblypodiacelle (ferns) Petrogramma ooIomelanos h with the possibility of over-use, erosion and a return to the same situation that its Pteris vittaUJ h planting was designed to cure. We much Nephrolepis multiflora h prefer the use of native species, and our Malvaceae Sida urens ss study of the revegetation of this quarry BombacoceJJe Ochroma pyramidale has turned up three native species with potential for widespread use: Eleocarpaceae (Tzlinceae) Muntingin calibura Lonchocarpus punctatus, Machaerium Legwninosae CenJrosemil pubescens v robinifolium and Coursetia arborea. A~~~~ h These three species have grown Sty/asanJhis hamata" h much better than those we think of as Desmodium camon (supinum) h typical colonizers such as Croton .gossypiifolius, Cecropia peltata and Minwsa pudim h Ochroma pyramidale, and they have Madraeriwn robinifolium done it on native rock. Even Coursetia, Myrtoceoe Psidium guyava which so far has not done as well as the MekJstomatoceae (Mel1JS/J:xnaceae) TIbouchinn Iongifolia ss other two, may have done less well sim­ ply because it arrived later and has had Asteraceae (ComposiIoe) Calea so/idaginea s less time in which to grow. Its seeds Erigeron canodensis h seem to be dispersed simply by the emiIitl fosbeergii (coccinea) h force of the bursting seed-pod and this Bidens pilosa h is probably less efficient than the wind Pluchea canodensis (odora1I1) dispersal of the light, flattened pods of s Machaerium and Lonchocarpus. This Chromolaena (EupaJOrium) odorakl s suggestion is supported by the observa­ Gentianaceoe Enicostema verticillnIum h tion that at the eastern end of the "mon­ Boraginaceae Cordia curassavica s ument' where seeds may have arrived verbenaceae Lan1mul camara s early from mature plants on the nearby undisturbed slopes, the Coursetia trees Stachytarpheta jamaicensis h are much larger than those towards the Lamioc£ae (LabiaJe) Hyplis pectinata h middle Fblygonaceae Coccoloba /atifolia All three species belong to the Piperaceae Piper aduncan s Papilionoidea sub-family of the Euphorbioceae Croton gossypiifolius t Leguminosre and have grown well pre­ sumably because of their root nodules Moraceae Cecropia peItata which would have allowed them to fix Chlorophora tinctoriil atlnospheric nitrogen and increase the Fbaceae (GTYll7Iinil1e) Andropogon biromis" fertility of the regenerating soil. Panicum maximum* "h We envision no difficulty in mass­ producing any of these species; their fuuUsetlUn sellJrum" h seeds sprout easily after only a few days RhyncheJytrum repens" h and the seedlings grow quickly. Although, like many legumes, they are probably susceptible to predation by Bruchidre, there should be no difficulty in collecting sufficient seed if the beetle population can be controlled or if seed can be collected before beetle popula­ tions build up to troublesome levels. living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 11 in higher rainfall than at Lady Young, that they should be tried in experimen­ We can expect further changes at the and may grow well enough to be useful tal plots where they may be compared "monument" and we intend to keep on everywhere. In any event, we do not with species now favoured by the investigating them both in the hope of advocate their immediate use in replant­ Forestry Division. In our own small discovering other useful species for ing projects. What we do advocate is way we intend to pursue such trials. revegetation projects and also because of interest in the purely scientific Table 2. - Plants collected on the first three terraces in 15 September 1991. aspects of succession. One possible H=herb, S= shrub, T=tree, V=vine, P=parasite change (God forbid) is a resumption of Family Species Habit quarrying at the site. This would bring an abrupt end to our activities. A more ltJIypodiacene (fems) Nephro/epis rewJaris" h attenuated end will come with our Pteris viltaJa h advancing age. In the latter case we EkxJcarpacetre (Illioceae) Mintingia caIibura I hope that other members of the Club Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Aeschynomene americanIJ" s will take over where we leave off. Alysicarpus vaginaIis h Acknowledgements StyIosanthis hamata" h We thank Seereeram Brothers for Desmodium canum (supinum) h permission to visit the quarry at our LonchocaJpus punctatus* pleasure, Yasmin Comeau and Winston Johnson of the National Herbarium for Sty/osanJhes hamata identifying many of the plants, David Machaerium robinifolium I Rooks and Dan Jaggemauth for photog­ Myrtoceae Psidium guyava I raphy, and other members of the Club Rubioceae Spemwcoce assurgens (BorreritJ Iaevis)* h for support when they accompanied us on the visit of October 1994 when the Spermacoce (BorreritJ) verticillata h intentions of the bee-keepers were far Gonmklgwlia hi=Jn s from clear. Asteraceae (ComposiJoe) Baccharis trinervis* S FbI/a/esta (O/iganthes) condensata* I Referencer. Anonymous 19700' The Lady Young Hill Emilia fosbeergii (coccinea) h controversy. . Trinidad Naturalisl I (5), 29· Bidens piJosa h 32. PlucJrea canodensis (odoraJil) s Anonymous 1976b ·The rape of Lady TridRx procumbens* h Young. Trinidod Naturalist 1(5), 32·36. 1946. Apocynaceae Mesechitestriftda" V Beard,l's. ·The natural vegelalion of Trinidad., Oxford Foreslry Mem. 20. GenJinnaceae Enicostema vertici1Iatum h Oxford: Clarendon Press, 152 pp. Boraginaceae Cordia auassavica s Hilton,A.1984.- Lady Young Hill slides - Ihe Scrophukuiaceae Achell1ria guiDnensis" h first five years. Trinidod Naluralisl 5 (4), 7- BudrnerajloridanD (e/ongaJil)" h 9,25. 1928- Verbenaceae LanIfJna trifolia h WiUillms,R.O. e/ aI. The Fwra of Trinidod and Tobago. - Government Prinlery. Stachytarpheta jamoicensis h Port ofSpain. CitJuJrexyhun fruticosum* I Piperaceae Piper aduncan s LoranlOCeae Phthirusa adunca* P Euphorbiaceae Euphorbw hyssopifolw* h On:hidacae Habenmill mooorrhiza* h Oeceoclades (Eulophidium) moculata* h lridaceae Cipura paIudosa* h Cyperaceae Fimbristylis cymnsa* h lbaceae (Graminiae) Andropogoo bicomis h Pani.cum maximum h Pennisetum setorum h Rhyru:helytrum repens h " Not recorded in tob/e I

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995· 1996 12 , Back to Landscaping ... and in style • Denis Nardin Former Ambassador of France to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

In 1990, for the first time in France, cleared to make way for huts or settle­ the most remote country areas, while at a prize-giving ceremony for town ments, and skylines have been 7000 km (soon to be 12000 km) of redesigned by men according to the super-highways shot straight from here planners held at the Paris Pompidou pace and evolution of their activities. to there. Centre and on the recommendations Various decors have arisen, reflecting However, human nature is such that, of an international panel of judges, the differing civilisations and revealing unless people are forced into changes, Jacques Simon - a well-known land­ each individuall'articipation. they can not easily accommodate any scape architect - received from M. Thus the great ones of this world sudden alteration in their familiar envi­ Brice Lalonde, the Minister of have used their privileged position to ronment where it relates to their cultur­ create decors suited to their lifestyle. In al background. Since the middle of the Environment, the top award for the the Royal Parks of the 'Great Century' last century, voices have been raised in "Best Landscape Design of 1990". It our master gardeners/landscapers - outrage against the treatment inflicted is interesting to note that this award among the most famous of whom was on sites and monuments in the name of will now be made every alternate Le Notre, - were commissioned to progress, later echoed by touristic and year to a deserving landscape archi­ landscape the parks, while on a much regional associations regretting the des­ smaller scale less famous gardeners ecration of some of the most pic­ tect or engineer. took care of the grounds of the houses turesque and secluded parts of France. Although the authorities have not yet bourgeoisie. Between 1840 and 1890, So, in 1901, the SPPEF (Societe pour la taken a vote to declare a "Landscape industrialists and engineers left their Protection des Pays ages et de Yearn, the time for this sort of event is mark by way of factory chimneys, rail­ I'Esthetique de la France) was formed imminent since scientists at the ways, steel viaducts or such objects as and its first success was saving the National Centre for Scientific Research were synonymous with the progress of Lizon waterfall from being piped to are actively researching the field. The the time and were admired for this rea­ supply an industrialist. Since then under electronic media have begun broadcast­ son, thus causing the first French the "save our heritage" umbrella, the ing a series of programmes on the re­ Minister for the Environment, M. protectionists have waged war on the discovery of our landscape, which has Robert Poujade, to say that "landscape promoters and developers. They have been unheard of since 1970. is a usable object". The Eiffel Tower, an gained Parliament's approval for the Publications are also on the increase: unsolicitated and initially unquestioned many Bills now controlling and secur­ "Metropolis". a journal on town plan­ legacy of the 1887 Exposition, has been ing our environment, such as the ning, will devote a whole issue to land­ the culminating symbol of its era. National Trust (1887); the classification scaping every eighteen months, while This time of rapid change repeated and preservation of historical monu­ the Landscapers' Association, with their itself during the "thirty glorious years" ments and sites (1913); the conservation own publication - "Pages Paysages" - (1954-1984) which saw many transfor­ of natural sites (1930); the posting of and others, such as n Autrement", have mations in the environs. This time it bills -billboards- (1910 & 1979); the started putting out special issues on the was the promoters and contractors of 1962 Malraux Bill protecting the histor­ 'English countryside' or equally relevant low-cost housing complexes who made ical parts of cities; the zoning of avail­ topics. In addition, M. Lalonde's yearly it their business to solve the housing cri­ able land areas; the designation of report, which includes a long chapter on sis by erecting towers, to the delight of national or regional parks, natural landscaping, and the numerous books many enthusiastic applicants whose reserves and vulnerable areas; the and illustrated manuals on subject, can names had been waitlisted for the han­ preservation of the coastal areas (1976) be found on the stands of all book­ dover. Other corporations showed their which makes feasibility studies com­ sellers. prestige, such as the National pulsory; an urban and architectural trust One does not know yet how well Electricity Company, which between (1983); the development of mountain­ landscaping can sell, but it is much 1950 and 1988 installed 274 plants, 160 ous and coastal areas (1985 & 1986) talked about in small groups of well­ retaining dams, 2.5 million poles and and others. Thus more than one quarter informed persons. However, a more pillars carrying 1,300,000 km of cable, of the metropolitan territory is now precise definition of the term is neces­ 450 relay stations, 260,000 transform­ being protected. sary to throw more light on the subject. ers and 8 million outdoor meters. The Although its means are somewhat Essentially, one must remember that telephone company followed by putting limited, the Ministry of Environment, the original landscape no longer exists, more poles into the ground, while the nevertheless, has great plans for the except perhaps on the slopes of some automotive industry did better - or rehabilitation of fifteen large areas, and mountains. Since the days of our worse: 25 million multicoloured vehi­ for an increase in the number of site neolithic ancestors land has been cles finding their way from the towns to inspectors and the number of studies to Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 13 be undertaken. Details for implement­ Following the example of their Road look around their districts and showing ing the principal that "the polluter must and Highway colleagues, all engineers an interest in the skyline. be made to pay for the damage" are to in France are now taking a critical look After more than a century, the much be included in the "Green Plan" to be at the manuals they formerly held as argued topic is still the same: if the released by M. Lalonde. their bibles. Thus E.D.F. (Electricite de environment is the mirror of society, In fact, the wind is now blowing in France), when launching its nuclear why should anyone intervene to slow the direction of the landscapers, and at programme, has asked a team of well down its evolution? And whose prerog­ the ministerial and town-planning known architects to "dress-up" its enor­ ative is it to say that the old order was level, a small team has already been mous site, and after refusing for years to better than the new one? In reply, it can assigned to assist hundreds of dis­ bury its high tension cables, the be pointed out that the conservation of tressed suburbs, not only in upgrading Corporation has recognized that the the national heritage (our main touristic their housing schemes to match the procedure is economically sound and, asset), and the preservation of an eco­ current acceptable standard of comfort, since 1989, has agreed to bury 3000 km logical balance and of a certain social but to change their appearance through of cable. Besides, in compliance with comfort (by avoiding the traumas of an improved architectural 'dressing­ an agreement made between the sudden transformations) are indeed up'. This, according to a recent survey, Ministry of Equipment (Works) and very good reasons to intervene. But how is greatly appreciated by the inhabi­ itself, the E.D.F. is now attempting to far to go in this direction? Robert tants who favour these improvements uclean upu the surroundings of histori­ Poujade used to say that one "can nei­ and obviously believe in the mainte­ cal monuments and sensitive areas. It ther be too conservative nor too care­ nance of public parks. Seventy five per even appointed a small environmental less". So, our current objective should cent of those questioned expressed mission in 1989, spending some 3000 be to find the most appropriate way of preference for an improvement of their million francs, to a meliorate ways of integrating the beauty of the past with area as against relocation. It appears, fitting its installations into the surround­ that of modem times. therefore, that the beautification of ing landscape. At present, three overcrowded suburban environs should now get the A similar effort has been made by the schools of landscape architecture - in attention which, for the past fifteen company building the T.G.V .(train a Versailles, Angers and Paris - are annu­ years, had been centred on the grande velocite), which no longer cares ally turning out a crop of 60 graduates. improvement and embellishment of to be seen as a countryside wrecker. These young professionals are garden­ down-town areas. Agronomists have been questioning the ing, planting screens for depressed At the Road and Highway division after-effects of excessive bulldozing, areas and laying out small parks as a of the Ministry of Equipment, things and consiquently hedges are being minor gesture of beautification. With are moving also; the new head of replanted here and there. As for the time it is hoped they will become real department has stipulated that 1 % of industrialists, they are also calling on planners, actively involved in the design the budget earmarked for road con­ landscape architects to devise new ways and lay-out of large environs. Only then struction be allocated to landscaping of hiding their galvanize fencing which will the national landscape, constantly while hoping, along the way, to add an the eternal rows of poplars have so far subjected to change, reflect the true and Advisory Council for Landscaping and hardly managed to conceal. Allover deep aspirations of its inhabitants. The Environment to his department and France city councillors inspired by the French people of today do think that the launch various competitions and beau­ new environmental policy, inaugurated quality of life has to do with the quality tification programmes. in 1990 in Savoie, are taking a fresh of their surroundings.

Left: A Tree-lined road in Southern France. Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 14 ~?u?aIJ.~P..erl~~~e University Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3£1, U.K.

Guanapo Cave is a small, easily accessible cave occu­ ',:', ...... ,'. :. .: .. :. pied by roosting bats. The cave is well known and often ...... ',: visited, but has not previously been surveyed or studied .' . .'. :. :. in .:',:' detail. ",: '.:,:.. Location and Access : .. .. : .... The cave is situated in the Heights of Guanapo, a steep­ sided valley on the south side of the Northern Range, Trinidad. The cave is on the hillside to the west of the Guanapo River, a short distance above the top of a disused ,' . .' . : ...: quarry. It can be found by following the track to the top of the quarry, then follOWing the bed of a small dry stream into the edge of the forest. The cave mouth is a few metres upslope on the right and is not directly visible from the stream bed. Its <:Inl'V'; 0 0 Figure 1: M,;p· (;",,'';;'/10 approximate position is 10 41' N; 61 16' W, and its altitude probably 220-250 m (700-800 ft). matter including seeds, and swarming with invertebrates especially insects. Beneath the clusters of Phyllostomus the I visited the cave at least seven times in 1967-68 and four debris accumulates in piles of a pasty consistency. Debris times in 1989, on each occasion observing and sampling the deposited in the chamber flows very slowly out towards the invertebrates present (Table 1). On the last visit I surveyed the cave entrance, gradually loosing its richness to become a dry eave using a linen measuring tape and a magnetic compass powdery deposit full of empty seed husks. (Figure 1). On the last two visits, light traps were used to sample the aerial fauna as part of a larger survey of caves in The fresh debris in the chamber supports a dense popula­ the Northern Range, the results of which will be published tion of cockroaches. The dominant species is the blaberine later. cockroach Eublaberus distanti. The adults are about 5 cm long, cream coloured with black patterns on the pronotum, Cave Topography and Ecology and rest in crevices or wander on the walls or floor. The The entrance is a low arch 1.3 m high and 2.5 m wide nymphs, glossy chestnut with bright yellow spots, swarm on opening on to a moderately steep slope down to the stream and in the layer of debris on the floor which is so light and bed. The entrance leads into a short passage 2.5 to 3.5 m wide loose they can easily burrow through it. Four samples, each of and a maximum of 1.5 m high. This opens into a single cham­ one litre of debris, were collected in July 1968 and all the ber 6-7 m in diameter with an arched roof reaching 2 m high cockroaches collected and weighed. The biomass was 25.3, with a few pockets rising to 2.5 m high. The combined length 29.7,36.1 and 43.3 g fresh weight giving a mean biomass of of passage and chamber is 13 m (Fig. 1). The total area of the 33.6 g per litre. The depth of the debris layer was variable, but floor, which is almost level, is estimated to be 54 sq m, 31 sq assuming a conservative mean depth of 10 em, the estimated m being in the chamber and 23 sq m in the passage. The walls biomass of nymphs in the chamber was 104 kg fresh weight are fairly smooth, seamed by cracks and crevices, and having The density of cockroaches appeared to be much lower in small stalactites and other dripstone formations on the roof 1989, but the biomass was not measured. and upper walls. The cave is generally dry, but slight seepage Less abundant, but similarly distributed, was the large produces moist patches on the roof and walls at times. blaberine cockroach Blaberus colloseus. The adults are about The cave is occupied by roosting bats. The most common 10 cm long, pale hom colour with a square black patch on the species is Carollia p. perspicillata, a small fruit-eating bat pronotum and the nymphs are a drab matt brown. A smaller that roosts over most of the chamber roof. The highest pock­ blatine cockroach Xestoblaua immaculata lives on the walls ets of the chamber roof contain clusters of the large fruit-eat­ and on the surface of the debris. The adults are bright redish­ ing bat Phyllostomus h. hastatus. This population has been brown, the nymphs dark grey-brown, both being slimmer, the subject of detailed studies by McCracken and Bradbury longer legged and more active than the blaberines. (1977, 1981). Insectivorous bats have also been seen in this The floor debris swarmed with millions of tiny lygaeid cave occasionally. bugs, Cligenes subcavicola, a species originally described The whole floor of the cave is covered in a layer of debris, from frugivorous bat guano in the Tamana Cave (Scudder et consisting of bat guano and rejected fruit pulp, seeds, nuts al. 1967) and subsequently found in bat caves in the Northern and other vegetable fragments brought in by the bats. To this Range, and inside hollow trees used by roosting bats. The are added bat corpses and the bodies of various invertebrates. adults are 3 mm long and dark brown, while the nymphs are In the chamber the debris is crumbly, very rich in organic various shades from cream (first instar) to brick red (fifth I...iving World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists ' Club 1995- t 996 15 Table 1. Provisional fauna list for the Guanapo Cave, Trinidad. instar). They probably feed on seeds. The debris also contain many fly lavae,and there is a rich fauna of small predators including staphylinid beetles and psuedoscorpions. VERTEBRATA, MAMMALIA Fly lavae hatch to form a major component of the aerial Chiroptera fauna.and may also be hosts of the tiny parasitic hymenoptera Phyllostomatidae Phyllostomus h. hastatus (Pallas) caught in the light-trap samples. The large black wasp Phyllostomatidae Carollia p. perspicillata (1.) E vaniscus tibialis is a parasitoid of the eggs of cockroaches, ARTIlROPODA, INSECTA and presumably attacks Xestoblalla, since the blabberine Orthoptera cockroaches are ovoviviparus. The aerial fauna is preyed Gryllidae Aclodes cavicola Chopard upon by spiders and other predators on the walls. Dictyoptera On 11 June 1989 the cave was found to be invaded by vast Blattidae Xestoblalla immaculata Hebard numbers of small, aggressive black ants Solenopsis geminata Blaberidae Blaberus colloseus marching in a broad ribbon along the wall of the passage. They swarmed in the debris of the chamber floor, where not Blaberidae Eublaberus distanti (IGrby) only workers but male and female alates abounded. Such an Dermaptera (small black earwig) invasion could well result in a crash in the populations of Hemiptera other invertabrates in the cave. However, on the next visit, on Reduviidae Phasmatocoris spectrum Bredin 8 June 1989, the cave fauna still seemed to be abundant, the Lygaeidae Cligenes subcavicola Scudder ants then being present in much smaller numbers. Coleoptera Discussion Hydrophilidae Dacty[osternum subdepressum The ease and safety of access make this cave particularly Histeridae Pseudepierus sp. suitable for study . The bats are easy to observe, the guano Staphilinidae Belonuchus sp. and debris they drop can be collected and analysed (e.g. to Scarabaeidae Gymnotus kerremansi V. do P. determine food composition, Greenhall 1956), their ectopar­ Nitidulidae Stelidota sp asites can be sampled, and various components of the inver­ Cerylonidae Euxestus erithecus Chevrolat tebrate fauna of the cave can be studied in situ or taken to the Tenebrionidae Zophobas atratus (Fabricius) laboratory. However, the cave is very small and should be Alleculidae Listronychus sp. treated with care to avoid excessi\'e disturbance to the roost­ ing bats, and depletion of the invertebrates. Silvanidae Ahasuerus sp Although free from structural hazards, it is possible that Diptera Guanapo cave (like many other Trinidad caves) may contain Psychodidae H is/op/asma capsulatum, a fungus that can cause fever and Chironomidae respiratory disease if the spores are inhaled. It is also worth Ceratopogonidae remembering that Carol/ia is known to suffer from rabies Sciaridae (Goodwin and Greenhall 1961) and should not be handled Stratiomyidae Hermetia without very careful precautions. Bombylidae Acknowledgements, Empididae I am very grateful to Dr .S.B.Peck of Ottawa, and Dr. Phoridae Puliciphora borinquinensis R.H.Disney of Cambridge (Disney 1994) who identified the Phoridae Megaseliae beetles and the phorid flies respectively. Milichiidae Drosophilidae References Streblidae Disn.y, R.llL.1994 -Cave Phoridae (Diptera) Of Trinidad. Giomale Italiano di Entomologia, in press. Hymenoptera Eveniidae Evaniscus tibialis Szepligeta Goodwin, G.G. and Gn.nhall,AM. 1961 -A Review fo the Bats of Formicidae Odontomachus Trinidad and Tobago. Bull.Amer.Mus.Nat.Hist. 122, 191-301+plates Formicidae Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius) Grttnhal/, AM. 1956 - The food sources of some Trinidad fruit bats Formicidae Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Artibeus and Carol/wi. loumal of the Agricultural Society of ARACHNIDA Trinidad and Tobago, Society paper no.869, September 1956. 25 pp. Amblypygi McCraciren, G.F. and Bradbury, J. W. 1977 - Paternity and hetero· Tarantulidae Tarantula palmata (Herbst) geneity in the polygnous bat Phylloslomus has/aoo. Behav, Ecal SciobioI8,1I-34. Aranaea Pholcidae (web-spinning spiders) Scuddtr,E., DarlingtonJP.E.C. and Hill, S.B. 1967 - A new species Opiliones, Laniatores of Lygaeidae (Hemiptera) from the Tamina Caves, Trinidad. Ann.SpeI.22, 465-469. MOLLUSCA, GASTROPODA Prosobranchiata (two species of snail) Living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 16 Some Recent Reptilian Introductions to Trinidad Hans E.A. Boos, Curator's House, Emperor Valley Zoo , Port of Spain.

Anolis lizards are small members of the numer­ ically large family of Iguanids. They are found mainly in northern South America, Central America, and throughout the islands of the West Indies. • A Trinidad has only one species of native anole + A tr1nl~tb lizard, Anolis chrysolepis pianiceps, a jungle- ~ : ::~:7'" dwelling species, the same as is found on the near- by Venezuelan mainland (Vanzolini & Williams 1970) and the offshore islands of Chacachacare and Huevos (Boos 1984). This Anolis was includ­ ed in the formal list for Trinidad's lizards by Mole (1924), who may have noted either a listing for Trinidad in Vol. 4 of Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril's 1837 "Erpetologie Generale ... ", or extrapolated Boulenger's 1885 listing for this species for Grenada to specimens he had collected and iden­ tified on Trinidad. Burt and Burt (1930) listed it specifically for Trinidad based on two specimens, one of which was collected by H. Carraciola [sic j, which listing was incorporated in the first attempt to make a comprehensive catalogue of Trinidad's •II lizards (Parker 1933). Caracciolo was a founding member of ~ A the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club. According to Gorman and Dessauer (1966), the two other species of anole on Trinidad, Analis aeneus, and A.trinitatis, were introduced to Trinidad from the islands of Grenada and Iy French colonies was stepped up, especially from Grenada St. Vincent within fairly recent times. where the Catholic planters were suffering severe political and social discrimination at the hands of the Protestant A.aeneus has become widespread in human communities British Colonial Government. and the urban centres of Port of Spain, San Fernando, some satellite towns along the east-west corridor, and on some off­ Substantial material goods and agricultural produce must shore islands (Boos 1984), including Monos (Holt 198? have been brought to Trinidad from Grenada, a trade which p.32),though, to date, I have not confirmed its presence on exists to this day, and it is speculated that the adults, young, that island (see Fig. 1. ). and perhaps the eggs of the ubiquitous A aeneus on Grenada, arrived on Trinidad as successful stowaways, to populate the A.trinitatis, once fairly common in enclaves in San urban areas of their new home. Subsequent spread from their Fernando, Port of Spain and the campus of the University of point of landing has obviously taken place over the following the West Indies at St.Augustine, is difficult to locate nowa­ two hundred years, until today they are the accepted common days. I recently noticed a small population in one yard in anole in gardens in nearly all the large centres of population Cascade, a suburb in the north of Port of Spain. in Trinidad, and have successfully colonized several of the In the past, the two species were often confused with one islands off the northwestern peninsula. another in the literature. It was only after Kenny and The story of A trinitatis is slightly more mysterious, and Quesoel(1959) noted that, excluding Achrysolepis, there open to much speculation, as there are few clues to explain were two forms of Anolis on Trinidad, a green and a grey, the the extremely scattered enclaves of this lizard. The fact that taxa were separated and recognised as two distinct species. colonies were found on both the grounds of the Imperial That one species, Atrinitatis, is being slowly and steadily College of Tropical Agriculture (now the campus of the replaced by another, the more robust, aggressive and habitat­ University of the West Indies) in St. Augustine, and in the tolerant Aaeneus, has been documented by Gorman and St.Clair residential area bordering the western portion of the Boos (1972). Ministry of Agriculture (once part of the Royal Botanic It is not known exactly when these two species, Aaeneus Gardens), points again to its introduction with plant material and A. trinitatis, were introduced to Trinidad but the follow­ taken into these two sites where botanical collections were ing historical accounts may give some clues as to how and being introduced and propagated. when they arrived. Lazell (1972) makes a strong case for the transportation of With the approval of the Cedula of Population in 1783, the Atrinitatis from the Royal Botanical Garden in Kingstown in emigration of land owners and their slaves from nearby main- living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 17 St. Vincent to Trinidad in the form of 244439-244442. Because I was familiar were torn down, and others have been adults on the stems and foliage and with A. extremus from Barbados, it was utilized for the now popular Breakfast eggs in the soil of saplings of the bread­ fairly easy to confirm that these lizards Shed Restaurant and parking areas for fruit plants, originally brought to St. were this species, as they exhibited the the customers. Vincent from Tahiti by William Bligh dark axillary pigmentation mentioned Recent searches there for any sur­ around 1793, and subsequently distrib­ by Lazell (1972 p.85). How these vivors of A. extremus have proved fruit­ uted to other West Indian islands, lizards got to where we found them is less. Contrary to the successful emigra­ including Trinidad, in the early 1800's. difficult to determine. tion of this species from Barbados to The presence of a large population of I remember that in the mid to late St.Lucia, Bermuda, and a restaurant in A. trinitatis in some gardens and citrus 1970's, a pair of young German reptile Venezuela, the Trinidad environment groves in and around San Fernando in collectors had applied to the Wildlife has so far proved too hostile for their the 1950's and 1960's, is more difficult Division of the Forestry Department of survival. to explain, except to guess that they the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and In December 1992, Graham White were transported in plants and foliage Fisheries, for an export permit for phoned me to say that he had collected brought from enclaves in Port of Spain lizards and frogs they had collected on some Anolis lizards in the gardens sur­ and St.Augustine. Barbados. They were passing through rounding the offices and laboratories of In 1967, Boos reported a deliberate Trinidad on their way back to Germany, Caroni Ltd. at Waterloo in the west cen­ experimental release ,carried out in and needed some documentation from tral region of Trinidad, and that he was 1965, of a third, exotic species, on their port of departure to present to the unable to identify them. He was fairly Huevos, one of the offshore islands authorities in Europe. sure they were neither A.aeneus nor A. between the northwest peninsula of Refused an export permit by the trinitatis, and he was not too familiar Trinidad and the Paria peninsula of Wildlife Division, as they had no record with A. chrysolepis, to which the lizards Venezuela. of an import permit being issued for he had caught bore some resemblance, Six pairs of Anolis extremus, (called these exotics, the collectors possibly because they seemed to favour the at that time, Anolis roquet cinereus ) released their cargo near the hotel ground rather than trees as sites of were brought from Barbados and (Holiday Inn?) where they were stay­ retreat when threatened. released on this tiny island. Regular ing, rather than destroy them. I visited Graham at Waterloo, and, checks for survival discovered only one In any event, the habitat where they after examining the lizards he had lizard eleven years later (Boos 1978). were found, which was surrounded by caged and catching two or three more Checks in subsequent years failed to hostile areas of busy road, parking lots, on the grounds around the buildings, I find any further survivors. and dock warehouses, was cleaned up was convinced that they were not any It was in October of 1982, while soon after 1982. Some of the buildings species I had ever seen or collected attempting to collect specimens of Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, - former­ ly called E.martiniquensis in error (Kenny 1979) - that we heard calling in the dock area opposite the Holiday Inn Hotel on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, Jerry Dave Hardy and I spotted a pale green anole, asleep on a leaf, in a tangle of "bird vine" covering one of the chain-link fences bordering a sec­ tion of waste land choked with "bush" growing between the derelict buildings, rotting car bodies, old lumber and wooden boxes. Easily captured and then examined in the beams of our flashlights, it was obviously none of the anoles recorded for mainland Trinidad. The following day we returned to the site and I photographed several adults in situ on vines in the area. We also col­ lected four specimens, which, after being photographed, were preserved and sent to the United States National Museum as voucher specimens USNM

Rigt; lIiDlis e

Living World Journal of the Trinidad &: Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 18 before on Trinidad. They seemed to be Trinidad from Antigua in the late Butt, C.E. & M.D.Burt. 1930. The South extremely restricted in their distribution 1970's, as a propagating experiment. American lizards in the collection of the around the buildings and the immediate Undoubtably the common anole on United States National Museum. Proc. compound, for, as we searched out­ Antigua had hitched a ride amongst the u.s. Nat. Mus. 78(6):1-52. wards, they were replaced by robust and spiky foliage of the pineapple plants Dumiril,AM.C., G.Bibron &A.Dumiril. plentiful A. aeneus on nearly every bound for Trinidad, and they had 1837 Erpitologie genirale ou histoire tree, electricity pole and fence post (see escaped when these plants were naturelle complete des reptiles. Paris Fig.2). Skittish and shy at our approach, offloaded, unpacked and planted at Librairie Encyclopidique de Roret 4:94. they were difficult to collect, disappear­ Waterloo. Two females were identified Gannon, G.c.& J.O.Boos. 1972. ing into the darkness under the build­ at the same location in February 1995. Extinction of a local population ofAnolis ings or into piles of discarded lumber Checks will be made to chart either lizards through competition with a and galvanized iron sheets. the spread or demise of this new addi­ congenor. Systematic Zoology 21(4): 440- Back at my office I examined them tion to the lizard fauna of Trinidad. 441. closely. The sexes were quite distinctly different in size, colour and pattern, and References -- & H.C.DeSSQuer. 1966. The relation­ ship ofAnolis of the Roquet species group it was with some difficulty, and finally Boos, H.EA. 1967. Reptiles on Huevos. (Sauria: /guanidae) 1. Electrophoretic with the help of colour illustrations and Journal of the Field Naturalists' Club of Trinidad & Tobago:15-18. comparison of blood proteins. Compo descriptions in Lazell (1972), and Biochem. Physiol. 19:845-853. Schwartz and Henderson (1985), that I ---1978. Survival ofAnolis extremus gar­ was able to tentatively identify these man [sic Jon Huevos Island. ''Living Holt, R. 198? Repart on recent field lizards as Anolis watts;, a native of World" Journal of the Field Naturalists' research in "The Third Anolis News Antigua with three subspecies on the Club of Trinidad & Tobago 1977-1978:46- Letter": 32 nearby islands of St.Kitts, Nevis, 47. lUnny, J.s. 1979 Some recent animal col­ St.Eustatius, St.Martin and Barbuda. --- 1984. A consideration ofthe terrestrial onizations. "Living World" Journal of the Enquiring what possible connection reptile fauna on some offshore islands Trinidad.&Tobago.Field Naturalists' Club the agricultural laboratories of Caroni northwest of Trinidad. "Living World" 1978-1979 :27. Journal of the Field Naturalists' Club of Ud. at Waterloo may have had with -_. J.s.& v.c. Quesnel. 1959. Two sibling Antigua, which might reasonably Trinidad & Tobago 1983-1984:19-26. species ofanoles in Trinidad. Bull. Mus. explain the presence of these ground­ .Boulenger, GA. 1885. Catalogue of the Camp. Zoo/. 121:189-191. favouring anoles so far from their home, Lizards in the British Museum (Natural I discovered that a shipment of pineap­ Lazell,J.D.Jr.1972. The anoles History). Trustees of the British Museum 2 (Sauria:/guanidae) of the Lesser Antilles. ple plants had been imported to Bull. Mus. CompoZoo/. 143(1): 1-115. Mole, R.R. [1924J The Trinidad Reptiles. ms. Check list. Boos private coli. :1-5. Parker, H. W.1933. The Lizards of Trinidad. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad). 12(3) : 65-70. Schwartz, A. & R. WJlenderson. 1985. A guide to the identification of the Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies exclusive of Hispaniola. Milwaukee Pub. Mus., 165 pp.

Vanzolin~ P.E. & E.E. WUliams.1970. South American anoles: The geographic dfferentiation and evolution of the Anolis chrysolepis species group (Sauria:1guanidae). Arquivos de Zoologia . Sao Paulo 19(1-2):1-124., (3-4):125-298.

o

2!p: itDlis _ ­ IS!:: Jtdjs wt:tsi. Photographs by H.E. Boos living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 19 Noteworthy Bird Records for Trinidad & Tobago, 1993-1994 Floyd E. Hayes Department of Biology ,Caribbean Union College P.O. Box 175. Port of Spain, Trinidad, w.1.

Introduction migration date for northbound migrants of this South Atlantic The purpose of this paper is to present new data on the sta­ species. Nevertheless, owing to the brevity of my observa­ tus of 13 species ofbirds in Trinidad and Tobago. One species tions of the Tobago bird and my inability to view all of the is reported for the first time in both the Gulf of Paria and near distinguishing field marks, the Tobago record should be Tobago, another species is reported for the first time for Little regarded as hypothetical even though I feel confident of the Tobago, and a third species is reported breeding for the first identification. time in Tobago. New extreme migration dates are provided for Red·biIJed Tropicbird Phaetlwn aethereus. four species of migrants from North America, two from South While aboard the M.V. Panorama on 3 July 1994, I America, and one from the South Atlantic. Additional records observed a single tropicbird through binoculars at 13.25 hr as are reported for four species seldom recorded from both it flew eastward approximately 2 km north of the northern islands. The data are based primarily on my own observa­ coast of Trinidad. The bird had a long white tail, indicating tions, with one exception, while resident in the country, from that it was an adult, and its reddish bill, blackish upper pri­ September 1993 through December 1994. maries and absence of black on the scapulars, indicated that it belonged to this species. There appear to be only two previ­ Species Accounts ous records for Trinidad: one seen a few kilometres off the Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus north coast on 23 April 1983 (ffrench, 1985), and a dead bird Although this species has been recorded breeding in found at Manzanilla Bay in February 1987 (tIrench, 1991). Trinidad, its status as a breeding resident in Tobago has been suspected but not previously confirmed (ffrench 1985, 1991). Little Egret Egretta garzetta. In a brackish lagoon at Buccoo, Tobago I observed up to three On 23 December 1993, I observed (with B.Wong) a Little adults during 9-14 July 1994; on 6 November 1994, I Egret through binoculars and a telescope from 16.45 hr to observed four young birds (each with whitish stripes on the 17.15 hr at a construction site just north of Bon Accord, head) swimming in the lagoon. Tobago. On 7 November 1994, I photographed another Little Egret at Speyside, Tobago. I observed it (with M.Arct, K.and Greater Sbearwater Puffinus gravis. M.Hayes) through binoculars and a telescope, from 09.50 hr While aboard the M.V.Panorama (inter-island ferry) on 3 to 09.55 hr at a salt marsh on the south side of town, and from July 1994, I observed a single shearwater of this species in the 17.50 hr to 17.55 hr along a stream at the entrance to Blue Gulf of Paria approximately one kilometre south of Carenage, Waters Inn. Both birds were white-phased individuals in non­ Trinidad, at 11.30 hr. I observed it through 7x35 binoculars breeding plumage .They were distinguished from the similar for about 30 seconds as it flew westward alongside the ship at Snowy Egret, E. thula, by the presence of a bluish-grey cere a distance of about 100 metres. The ocean surface was calm, between the eye and bill, which is yellowish in the Snowy permitting excellent viewing conditions. I wrote in my field Egret. The base of the lower bill was slightly paler on both notes: 'white collar behind neck, white rump patch, white birds. No Snowy Egrets were present on either occasion. underparts, white underwing linings, brown above,' and later Murphy (1992) cited three previous records of this Old World added 'contrast on neck' between dark cap and white cheeks. species for Tobago, all at Buccoo during 1990 and 1991_ An unidentified dolphin (possibly more than one) was seen nearby a minute earlier, but I do not know if the shearwater Blue·winged Teal Anas discors. was associating with it. Later that day, at 16.05 hr, I briefly On 7 November 1994, at about 10.30 hr, I observed the viewed a second Greater Shearwater approximately 1 km bird through binoculars for about 30 sec before it flew direct­ south of Crown Point, Tobago. I observed the bird through ly away from me at eye-level, permitting views of the green­ binoculars for about 15 sec as it flew westward alongside the ish speculum on the trailing edge of the wing, but not the ship at a distance of about 150 m. When it banked southward bluish patches on the scapulars. I suspect that it was the same and flew away from the ship, I noted a distinct white crescent individual that I had flushed (and photographed) in nearby on it's rump, indicating that it was a Greater Shearwater. I Speyside, Tobago, about 35 min earlier. This appears to be the briefly observed another shearwater a few minutes earlier, but first record of this species for Little Tobago, which is basical­ was unable to identify it. The swells were 1-2 m high, pre­ ly devoid of freshwater wetlands. Nevertheless, once again, cluding more detailed observations. I have seen this species owing to the brevity of my observation and my inability to previously off the coast of Maryland, USA. There are numer­ view all of the distinguishing field marks, this record should ous records of this species from the east coast of Trinidad dur­ be regarded as hypothetical even though I feel confident of ing the month of June (Collins and Tikasingh, 1974, ffrench, the identification. Dinsmore (1972) did not record any ducks 1991) However these sightings represent the first records for during his survey of the avifauna of Little Tobago. the Gulf of Paria and Tobago, respectively, and the latest

Uving World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field NaturalislS' Club 1995-1996 20 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macula ria the bird and its nest on 11 July was fruitless. There are only On 11 July 1994, I obsetved a single bird on the edge of a four previous sight records of this rare species from Tobago brackish lagoon at Buccoo, Tobago. This record represents (fIrench 1991, 1993); the present record represents the first the earliest migration date for southbound migrants of this documented by a photograph. It remains uncertain whether North American species; previously ffrench (1991) reported the species is resident, as it is in Trinidad (ffrench 1991), or the earliest date as 12 July. merely a visitor in Tobago. Sanderling Calidris alba. Bank Swallow Riparia riparia. On 10 July 1994, I obsetved seven birds on the beach at On 1 October 1994, I obsetved (with H. Munson and R. Buccoo, Tobago. This date represents the earliest migration Stacy) a single individual associating with migrant Bam date for southbound migrants of this North American species; Swallows Hirundo rustica at the Trincity sewage ponds, from ffrench (1991) did not list any records for June, July or 09.50 hr to 09.55 hr. We viewed the bird from as close as 5 m, August, but stated that some birds are probably present and clearly saw the distinct brownish collar across the chest, throughout the year. which distinguishes this species from all other swallows. This Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla. record represents the earliest date for southbound migrants of I obsetved a single bird on the margin of a brackish lagoon this North American species; fIrench (1991) stated that there at Buccoo, Tobago, on 14 July 1994. This record represents were only a few sight records for Trinidad, between the dates tbe earliest migration date for southbound migrants of this of 28 December and 24 April. North American species; ffrench (1991) stated that the earli­ est record was from late July. Acknowledgements Common Black·beaded Gull Larus ridibundus I thank R. fIrench for discussing several of these records, 1 took numerous photographs of an adult gull with a choco­ C. Collins for providing pertinent literature, and S. Miller for late-brown hood, between Store Bay and Pigeon Point, infonning me of his observations. TWo of my trips to Tobago Tobago, during 4-14 July 1994. The Brown-hooded Gull were paid for by the Department of Biology of the Caribbean (L.maculipennis) of southern South America is similar, difIer­ Union College. M. Arct, K. Hayes, H. Munson, R. Stacy, R. ing primarily in having white rather than black tips to the pri­ Trecartin, B. Wong, and several students from Caribbean maries (Harrison 1983). The worn wing tips of this particular Union College shared some of these obsetvations with me. individual were nearly all white, with only a minute black speck (1-2 mm long) at the tip of the outennost three pri­ References maries and a subapical black spot (about 5 mm long) present Collins, C.T. 1969. A- review of the shearwater records for Trinidad only on tbe leading edge (outer vane) of the outennost prima­ and Tobago, Westlndies. Ibis 111 :251-253. ry. Although this particular individual strongly resembles a •••••••• & E.s. Tikasingh 1974. Status of the Great Shearwater in Brown-hooded Gull, which has been reported but not con­ Trinidad, West Indies. Bull. Brit. Ornithol. Club 94:96-99. firmed for Tobago (ffrench 1991), the presence of a chocolate­ Dinsmore, JJ. 1972. Avifauna of Little Tobago Island. brown hood, which occurs only during tbe breeding season, QJ.Fla ..Acad.Sci.35:55-77. indicates that tbe bird was a Common Black-headed Gull ffrench,R. (1985). Additional notes on the birds of Trinidad and beCause a Brown-hooded Gull would be in winter plumage Tobago. Living World. J. Trin.Tob.Field Nat.ClubI985-1986:9-ll. during July. There are numerous records of this chiefly ••••••••• 1991 A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago. -2nd ed. Paleartic species for both islands (ffrench 1991). Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. Yellow·billed Tern Sterna supercilliaris. ._ ••••••• 1993. Further records of birds on Trinidad and Tobago. 1 obsetved three birds at the Trincity sewage ponds, Living World. J.- Trin. Tob.Field Nat.Cljib. 1993-1994 :28-30. Trinidad, on 11 December 1994, and (with R. Trecartin) a sin­ Harrison ,P. 1983. Seabirds: An Identification Guide. Haughton gle bird at the same locality on 21 December 1994. These MilJlin Company, Boston. records represent the first for the month of December and the Murphy,WL. 1992. Notes on the occurrence of the Little Egret latest dates for Trinidad of this South American visitor; (Egreua garzetta) in theAmericas, with reference to other Palearctic ffrench (1991) reported that the previous late date was 26 vagrants. Colon. Waterbirds 15:113·/23. November. Large-billed Tern Phaetusa simplex. On 26 November 1993, S. Miller and C. Dengler (pers. comm.; Arlington, MA., USA) obsetved a single bird at Caroni Swamp, Trinidad. This represents the latest date for Trinidad of this occasionally breeding South American species; ffrench (1991) reported that the previous latest date was 17 November. Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor. 1 obsetved a single bird at the edge of a brackish lagoon near Buccoo, Tobago, on 9 and 10 July 1994. 1 obtained sev­ eral photographs of the bird, which clearly showed the distin­ guishing characters of this species; the identification was independently confinned by R.ffrench (in lit!.). A search for Living World Journal of tnc Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 21 Distributional Ecology of Selected Plants and Animals on Trinidad's Five Islands Archipelago Stanley A. Temple Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA and Department of Zoology, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago

Studies of the distributions of island-dwelling species have as much of each island as possible. Woody plant surveyors expanded our understanding of the factors that determine the collected samples of each species they encountered and pre­ structure and composition of island communities. Several served them in plant presses for subsequent identification . generalities have emerged (Gorman 1979). All else being Snail surveyors searched for living terrestrial snails or their equal, there are fewer species on an island than on a compa­ shells and collected specimens of each species they encoun­ rable mainland area of the same size; the number of species tered for subsequent identification. Ant surveyors searched on an island increases in a predictable way with increasing for ants, collected specimens of each species they encoun­ island area; the number of species on an island increases as tered and preserved them in ethanol for subsequent identifi­ habitat diversity on an island increases; the number of cation. Reptile and bird surveyors identified specimens visu­ species on an island may be in a dynamic equilibrium; and ally in the field and recorded the species they encountered. the species found on islands are a non-random subset of the When constructing the bird lists, I excluded some wide-rang­ nearby continental biota. ing species, such as vultures, shorebirds and swifts, that reg­ In 1995, students from my class in "Caribbean Island ularly visit the islands but do not reside on them. Ecology" at the University of the West Indies assisted me in For each taxonomic group and island, the surveyors a sUlvey of woody plants, land snails, ants, reptiles and land recorded the time when they encountered each species. These birds on the Five Island Archipelago. I report here on the times allowed me to construct species+accumulation curves results of those surveys and how well they conform to gener­ that plotted the rate at which new species were discovered on al theoretical predictions about island communities. each island. '!\vo examples of such species-accumulation curves, for birds and reptiles on Caledonia Island, are shown The Study Sites The Five Islands (Nelson, Caledonia, Lenagan, Pelican, Table 1_ Physical and ecoIogO 81 fealures oCtile Five IsIan A 0.271 ), for ants (S =6.44 A 0.077 ), for reptiles (S =5.27 A A 0.321), and for birds (S = 5.47 A 0.260). 7 During a 7-hour survey of the 2.5-ha site on the Chaguaramas Peninsula, I detected 21 bird species, and the species-accumulation curve for this survey suggested there were additional species that had not been detected. All 8 of the birds detected on the Five Islands were detected on the IImainland tl site. Discussion These results can be interpreted in light of theoretical pre­ dictions and empirical results from other studies. This discus­ sion focuses on 5 features of islands: the impoverishment of island biotas relative to continents, the species-area relation­ ship on islands, the influence of habitat diversity on species O~--~--~--~---L--~ o 100 200 300 400 WO diversity, the dynamic equilibrium of species numbers on islands, and the non-random sample of continental species on Total seardW'lg time CmiR.rtes> B islands. Impoverishment of island biotas.--The comparison of bird Figure 2. Species accumilation curves for bird species (A) species on the Five Islands and the Chaguaramas Peninsula and reptile species (B) on Caledonia Island agrees with the general prediction that there are fewer species Specimens of woody plants, snails and ants were sorted on an island than on a similar area of a mainland (for this into different "morphological types" that appeared to repre­ comparison, Trinidad is considered a mainland). There were sent different species. Woody plants were subsequently iden­ at least 3 times as many bird species on the 2.5-ha tified to species with the assistance of the National Herbarium Chaguaramas site as on 2.5-ha Caledonia Island. There were and appropriate references. Snails were not identified to 2.6 times as many species on the mainland site as on all 6 of species. Ants were sent to an ant specialist, Mark DuBois of the islands combined. Although not a strict area-for-area the Illinois Natural History Survey, for specific identification. comparison, the mainland species pool of woody plants on the Chaguaramas Peninsula is several times the size of the When the species lists for each island were completed, I woody plant community on the Five Islands (Beard 1946). used correlation analyses to detect relationships between the Similarly, there are many reptiles on the Chaguaramas number of species on an island and the island's features. I also Peninsula that are absent from the Five Islands (H. E. A. created species-area curves that plotted the number of species Boos, personal communication). on each of the islands against each island's area. I described Species-area relationships.--There is strong theoretical and the species-area curve for each taxonomic group using the empirical support for the mathematical relationship between power function equation, S = cAz, where S = number of island area and species diversity. In general, the value of z in species, A = island area, and c and z are constants that are the species-area equation is usually in the range 0.2 - 0.4. taxa-specific. I used a computer program (SYSTA1) to fit This means that a lO-fold increase in island area should result curves to the points on each graph of species versus area. The in an approximate doubling of the number of species. The values of lie" and "z" in the equation S = cAz were deter­ data for most of the taxonomic groups in the Five Islands mined by the SYTAT program. (plants, snails, reptiles and birds) are consistent with these Results generalities. But, ants are a conspicuous exception. There is The distribution of species among islands is presented in relatively little variation in the number of ants per island, Table 2. The numbers of species on each island are summa­ which ranges only from 5 to 8. Furthermore, 5 of the 8 rized as follows: Caledonia (32 plants, 6 snails, 6 ants, 6 rep- species are found on every one of the islands. Perhaps these

Living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995·1996 23 Table 2. Distribution of woody plant, land snail, ant, reptile and land bird species on tbe Five Islands

Spec I •• Caledonia Nelson Lenagan Pellcln Rock Craig Spiel •• Caledonia Neilan Lenlgan Pallean Rock Craig Island 'iland Island Isllnd Island 'sland Island Island 'sland Island 'sland Island Snail 'N Plant I x x x x x x x x x Snail'S' x x Plant {2 x x x x x x x Snail 'C' x x x x x Planl (3) x x x x x x Snail '0' x Planl (4) x x x x x x Snail 'E' x x x Plant (5 x x x x Snail 'F' x x x Planl (6) x x x x x Snail 'G' x Planl (7) x x x x x Snail ow x Plant 8 x x x x Snail 'I' x Planl (9 x x x Ant ·A· x x x x x x Planl (10 x x x Ant 'B' x x x x x x Planl (II) x Ant ·c· x x x x x x Plant {12 x Ant ·0· x x x x x x Plant (13 x x Ant ·E· x x x x x x Plant (14 x Ani ·F· x x x ·G· Plant (15 x x Ani x x Ant 'H' Plant (16 x x x x Iguana iguana x x x x Plant (17 x x Hemidactyfus Plant (18 x x x mabouia x x Plant (19 x Thecadactylus Plant (20 x rapicaudus x Plant (21 x x Gonatodes Planl (22 x vittstus x x x x x Plant {23 x Anolis sensus x x x x x x Plant f24 x Gymnophthalmus Plant (25 x x x underwood; x x x Planl (26 x x Amaiva ameiva Plant (27 x x x x Mastlgodryas Plant (28 x boddaerti x Plant (29 x Lflptotila Plant {3D x vBrrB8UX; x x x x Plant {31 x x Amazilis Plant (32 x chionODIJCtus x x Plant (33 x x x x Amazilis tobaci x x Plant 34 x Eisenia Plant 35 x flavogaster x x x x x Plant (36 x Mimus gilvus x x x x x x Plant (37 x C08reba flaV80la Plant (38 x x x Thraupis Plant 39 x episcopus x x x x x Plant (40) x x Tiaris bicolor x Planl (41) x small, dry islands provide few habitats for ants, and only a For reptiles, the recorded and predicted number of species small number of "super tramp" species (Diamond 1974) can on larger islands are: Monos (18 vs. 26), Chacachacare (15 successfully colonize. Once those super tramps are present, vs. 36), Huevos (13 vs. 23), 158-ha Gaspar Grande (11 vs. there will be few additions to the ant fauna. 26). These comparisons suggest that there may be more rep­ The species-area equations for the Five Islands can be used tile species still to be discovered on these larger islands, to "predict" the number of species on larger islands on the which is not surprising in view of the few brief surveys that basis of their areas. In the Gulf of Paria, there are several have taken place. other larger islands that have been surveyed for birds and rep­ InDuence of habitat diversity.--A11 else being equal, islands tiles (Boos 1983, 199O;Boos & Quesnel 1993; ffrench 1965, that have more types of habitats should have more species 1967a, 1967b, 1969). On 454-ha Monos Island, 45 species of than islands with mOre uniform habitats. On the Five Islands, land birds (of the types we considered) have been recorded; most of the habitat diversity has been generated by past the species-area equation predicts 37. On 108-ha Huevos human disturbances. For example, buildings and open grassy Island, 36 species of land birds have been recorded; the areas, conspicuous habitat features on Nelson Island, are species-area equation predicts 23. On 409-ha Chacachacare human artifacts. The presence of these habitats is an impor­ Island, 42 species of land birds have been recorded; the tant prerequisite for successful colonization by some species. species-area equation predicts 36. These three larger islands Indeed, several species seem to be restricted only to the probably have more species than the species-area equation island or islands that have their specific habitat. Seed-eating predicts because they have more habitat diversity than the birds, for example, are found only on Nelson Island, which Five Islands (see below). has large grassy areas. And, ant diversity is strongly coorelat­ ed with grass cover.

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 24 1Bble '3. Correlations between species numbers and island features; only statisticaUy significant correlalations (D 0.725, p< 0.10) aete presented 40

Features of Numbers of Numbers of Numbers of Numbers of Numbers of ~ Islands ant species bird species lolant soecles reotile species snail species 0 30 Area + 0.894 + 0.928 + 0.746 + 0 .847 t Elevation + 0.739 ! Forest cover 20 f 0 Grass cover + 0.779 <; 0 Rock cover -0 .892 -0.892 11 10 ~ Buildino cover -0.735 -0.823

No. of buildinQs + 0.825 + 0.893 + 0.863 0 0 2 3 Canopy Height Area (hectares)

7 9

6 0 B 0

0 5 t t 7 0 1 4 ~ <; <; 6 11 3 11 ~ ~ 5 0 2

1 4 0 2 3 0 2 3 Area (hectares) Area

e B,----,-----r----,

7 0 7 o e 0 0 o ! 5 ~ ~ r5 o ~ 4 ~ <; <; 4 3 0 ! 2 L 2

o ."----'----"------' 1 o 2 3 o 2 3 Area (hectares) Area (hectares)

Figure 3. Species·area plots for woody plants, land snails, ants, reptiles and land birds on the Five Islands; power-func­ tion corves ( s =cA Z) were fitled to the points in each graph.

uving World Journal of the Trinidad &: Tobago Field Naturalists' Qub 1995-1996 25 Correlation analyses suggest that not all habitat features tions. Among woody plants, at least five species, such as mango and have a positive effect on species diversity. Rock cover and We$. Indian cherry, are probably introductions (Olaboo 1990). buildling cover, which are largely non-habitats, were nega­ Among reptiles, geckoes may have been introducti

living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 26 The Skipper Butterflies (Hesperiidae) of Trinidad Part 8, Genera group E (second section) Matthew J. W. Cock, IIntemationallnstitute of Biological Control, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berks SLS ITA, UK

Introduction than vice versa as in Nisoniades spp . F 9 This is the eighth in a continuing series on 19 mm . the identification and biology of the This is an uncommon and local species Trinidad Hesperiidae. It continues directly found principally in restricted areas in the from part 7 (Cock 1991). South. Kaye (1940) records a specimen I would like to reiterate my thanks to from Port of Spain (23.ii.l926), and I the following for their assistance: Dr C took a male in the Upper Guanapo Valley Dennis Adams, Mrs Yasmin Comeau, (23.i.1988). Captures in the South include Bhorai Kalloo and Winston Johnson of those by Sir N. Lamont at Palmiste (Kaye the National Herbarium, identified the 1940) and Morne Diable (0' 22 .v.l916, plants from which I reared Hesperiidae in UWI; 2d'7 .• . 1918, UWI; d'S.iv.I922, Trinidad. The following have very kindly RSM). I have specimens from Parrylands assisted in providing access to the collec­ ('¥ 2.ii.1980; d'13.ii.1980) which were tions in their care: Dr George McGavin of - taken in a sunlit clearing in the forest. the Hope Department, Oxford University SAS has several specimens from the Museum (HD), Dr Phillip Ackery of The Quinam area where at times it is not rare . Natural History Museum (NHM) (for­ Adults will occasionally come to flowers merly British Museum -Natural History), such as Bidens piJosa (SAS observation). Dr Mark Shaw of the Royal Scottish Life history and food plants unknown, Museum (RSM), Mr Scott Alston-Smith, but Bolla brennus brennus Godman & his private collection (SAS), Professor Salvin has been recorded as feeding on Julian Kenny and Dr Gene Pollard of the tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum University of the West Indies, St. Plates 1·2 (Solanaceae) in El Salvador (Scott 1986). Augustine (UWI). much smaller SraphyJus kayei sp. nov. I would particularly like to thank Scott Staphylus which is treated next. UPS dark brown, Alston-Smith for reading and comment­ This genus contains a large number of with an indistinct, diffusely macular sub ­ ing on this paper, and also for providing very similar, often uncommon species (at marginal brown band; UPH also has an additional records and observations least in collections). I can name only irregular, macular discal band; no hyaline which have not previously been pub­ three species from Trinidad , one of which spots. UNS brown with similar, but paler, lished (indicated as SAS in text). Dr is restricted to · Chacachacare Island. I markings to the UPS. Dark orange on Andrew Polaszek (International Institute have a fourth species so far represented dorsal surfaces of palpi, head, and anteri­ of Entomology) kindly identified the only by female specimens, which is treat­ or margin of thorax (collar); rest of body Prosierola sp ., Me Steve Steinhauser ed as SraphyJus sp. indet. below. No dark brown; head brown beneath. (Research Associate, Allyn Museum of members of this genus are recorded from Il1ustration in Lewis (1973 , Plate 81 , No. Entomology) very promptly answered Tobago. 9, Cf Costal fold filled with pale scales; F my enquiries about W. 1. Kaye's material The male genitalia show clear differ­ d'17 mm. in the Allyn Museum of Entomology, ences between the three species. In addi­ throwing light on two thorny taxonomic The female is quite similar to the male tion to the diagrammatic figures of Evans problems. but lacks the orange colouring on the (1953), there are good published illustra­ head , is larger, brown rather than dark 92. E31/7 Bolla cupreiceps Mabille 1891 tions for S. kayei and S. lenis, and I brown, and has small white hyaline apical Plates 1-2 include here drawings of the genitalia of spots in spaces 6-8; wing markings UPS S. tyro (Figures 1-3). I have not examined This species is found from Mexico to and UNS similar to male, but more dis­ South Brazil crL Honduras). There are the female genitalia systematically to tinct, and UNH tornal area broadly pale. demonstrate specific differences, but good series from Mexico, Colombia and The female resembles the females of Peru in the NHM (Evans 1953), but few anticipate this could be a rewarding area Nisoniades spp. in several aspects, but as of study. Superficially I have observed from elsewhere, and few females from pointed out in Cock (1991), B. cupreiceps any area. Kaye (1940) first recorded this substantial differences between species in lacks the dark discal bands UPF and UNF the tergites around the female genitalia. species in Trinidad from captures by him­ of Nisoniades spp .; UNH , Nisoniades The recorded food plants of the genus self and Sir N. Lamont. spp. have discal bands, whereas B. cupre­ outside Trinidad include Chenopodium The male is one of only two Trinidad iceps has submarginal bands which are (Chenopodiace,e), AJternaathera, species to have the dorsal surface of the of pale spots on a dark background, rather head coloured orange; the other is the

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995- 1996 27 Amaranchus, Achyrantbes and Celosia lighter edging. Under-side of fore-wing bands, but no spots. UNS brown, with (Amaranthaceae) (Scott 1986). almost unicolorous shining very dark submarginal bands and tarnal area of 93. E32/6 Staphylus kayei sp. DOV. brown slightly lighter at tornus. Under­ UNH pale. Williams & Bell (1940) illus­ = Scaphylus sinepunccis Kaye sensu side of hind-wing with a large dull fawn trate the male genitalia. Costal fold; F (f Steinhauser 1989 , nec Kaye 1904 coloured patch at anal angle extending 12 mm . ~ StJJphylus vulgatJJ sinepunctis Kaye over about half the wing area. Exp. 28 Female UPS brown, with UPF a mac­ sensu Williams & Bell 1940 , Evans 1953, mm." ular, pale brown submarginal band , and a Cock I 982c , nec Kaye 1904 Compare this with the illustration and pale brown bar at end cell; apical hyaline Plates 3·4 the colour notes below. Remarkably, white dots in spaces 7-8. UPF cilia Kaye's description does not mention the brown, the ends of the veins darker, and single most characteristic feature of the space I white. UPH with a macular sub­ species treated here: the orange UPS of marginal band and a bar at end cell as in the head! Add to this fact (I) the type UPF, but also with a diffuse pale discal cannot be located, (2) in Lamont's collec­ bar across spaces IC-3. UPH cilia brown, tion in UWI (Cock 1982c) and RSM the darker at the end of the veins, with longer material over the Scaphylus sinepunctis white cilia most noticeably in spaces lC, label is nearly all Ouleus fridericus 2,3 and 5. UNF brown; pale macular sub­ Geyer, and (3) specimens in these series, marginal band; pale marginal spots in and one of Kaye's own specimens of O. space I adjacent to white cilia. UNH [ridericus in the Allyn Museum (S.R. brown, with tornal third grading to Steinhauser pers. comm.) have S. creamy white; submarginal band of pale sinepuDctis labels in Kaye's writing, and spots in brown area and brown spots in it becomes clear that Kaye's sinepuDctis white area; pale bar at end of cell. The has been misinterpreted. white tarnal area UNH distinguishes Hence the t.alI:on known as Ouleus frid­ female S. kayei from other StJJphylus ericus erina Evans (Evans 1953, Cock spp. in Trinidad. F 913 mm. 1982c) is Ouleus fridericus sinepunctis Kaye (1904, No. 252; 1921, no. 375) Plales 3-4 Kaye comb. nov. and the species identi­ records StJJphylus aurocapilla Staudinger - fied as Staphylus sinepunctis (Williams on the basis of a specimen tJJken by Lady Kaye (1904) described Staphylus & Bell 1940, Evans 1949, Cock 1982c, Broome probably in the BotJJIDC Gardens. sinepunctis from Trinidad on the basis of Steinhauser 1989) is un-named. I there­ S. aurocapilla is restricted to southern a male he took "at the end of June 1901 at fore name this species StJJphylus kayei Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, and since St. Ann's Valley." Williams & Bell sp. nov. it too has the UPS of the head golden, (1940), Evans (1953) and hence Cock (I Holotype. (f In NHM: Trinidad, St most probably S. kayei was the species 982c) treated sinepunctis as a subspecies George's, xii.1891 (C.W. E1lacombe) caught. of S. vulgala Moschler. Steinhauser Paratypes. IOcr 29, in NHM: (f This species is widespread in lowland (1989) recently revised the status of Trinidad, St George's, xii.1891 (C.W. disturbed situations, but generally scarce. sinepunctis in this sense to that of a valid Ellacombe); CfTrinidad , in call. MJWC: (f It does not seem to extend into the species. In addition to Trinidad material, Brasso, II .x.1993 (MJW Cock); 9 Northern Range to any great extent, and Evans (1953) lists a male from MargaritJJ Curepe, iii.1980 (MJW Cock) Plate 4; (j¥, none of the records I have is from more Is, Venezuela, and Steinhauser (1989) Rio Claro-Guayaguayare Road, mile­ than 150 m (500 ft.) altitude. Adults fly records another male from Ecuador. stone 4.5-5.5 (MJW Cock); cr Spanish over low vegetation in partially shaded Kaye's (1904) original description is as Farm, Las Lomas, 17.xii.1980 (MJW situations, settling on leaves, and feeding follows: "Fore-wing without any apical Cock) Plate 3, in call. nBC: (fCurepe, v­ at flowers. spots , brown with the markings black­ vi.1979 (MJW Cock); (f Las Lomas, Kendall (1976) records that S. vulgatJJ brown. Across the centre of the wing is a Spanish Farm, 7.iii.1980 (MJW Cock); (f Moschler feeds on Achyranthes aspersa broad V -shaped mark the basal half of Nr. Moruga Bouffe, 23 .v. 1982 (MJW (Amarantbaceae) in Mexico, and notes which is the broadest and the marginal Cock), in RSM: (fMoreau, 28.xii.1937 that it feeds on related Amaranthaceae in half is duplicated for half its length from (Sir N Lamont); (fPalmiste, 29.ii.1932 South Texas. The closely related S. byei costa, the double bands uniting at near (Sir N Lamont). is also likely to feed on species of vein 3; beyond the V is a sinuate dark line The male of S. kayei resembles a smalJ Amaranthaceae. on a paler ground-colour reaching down male of B. cupreiceps. In common with 94. E32120 Staphylus /enis Striohauser 1989- to about vein 4 and then merging into the that species, and no other Trinidad ones, Plates 5-7 outer half of the V-mark. Tomus with a the dorsal surfaces of the palpi, head and This species has recently been large round patch of a somewhat dull anterior margin of the thorax are orange, described from Trinidad (Steinhauser golden colour but very inconspicuous. although less strongly so than in B. 1989), and is the species known as Hind-wing with a broad dark central fas­ cupreiceps. UPS dark brown, almost Staphylus mazans ascalaphus Staudinger cia much curved and followed by a black, with indistinct, pale submarginal in Kaye (1904, 1921, 1940), Evans living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995- 1996 28 87, No. 13) illustrates the male of S. mazans, which on external characters is almost indistinguishable from S. lenis. F (f 12 mm. The female is quite variable, which can lead to confusion. UPS brown, with dark brown discal, submarginal and mar­ ginal bands. Cilia brown, darker at ends of veins. White hyaline dots in spaces 2 (below origin of vein 3), 7-8 and cell (dis­ tal margin of discal band); additional spots may also be present in spaces I B (2, one above the other, adjacent to origin of vein 2; 2, one above the other, on basal • margin of submarginal line), 3 (at base), 6 .~ ., and cell (2 on basal margin of discal , c· ;. , - band, one above the other). The submar­ • ginal spots when present in space 1 are "4 ,. ~.~ •• displaced outwards from the spot in space • " 2, whereas in Staphylus sp. indet. they are immediately below the spot in space 2. UNS brown with bands as UPS; tarnal area UNH paler, but not whitish as S. Plates 8-9 kayei Steinhauser (1989) did not know - the female. F \'12 mm. 95_ E32/21 Swphylus tyro Mabille 1878 This is a fairly common species, wide­ Plates 8-9, Figures 1-3_ spread in disturbed and open situations In Cock (1982b, c) I treated this such as roadsides in lowland areas and - species as StaphyJus aztecs tyro Mabille, extending to about 250 m (800 ft.; e.g. following Evans (1953). However, here I Brigand Hill, iv.1982). It often flies follow Steinhauser (1975, 1989) in treat­ 7 together with S. kayei. It is perhaps com­ ing S. aztecs Scudder and S eyro as sepa­ moner in the dry season, and feeds freely rate species. Venezuela (TL) and at flowers such as Bidens pilosa. Colombia are the principal range of S I have found a fifth instar larva of S. tyro. while S. azteca occurs from Mexico Jenis on Alternantbera tenella, a common to Costa Rica. Cock (1982b) recorded - this species from Chacachacare Is, adding ~~P~/a;;;t;;;e;;,s,;;5_-7~ ______roadside herb of the Amaranthaceae (1953) and Cock (1982c), although it (Brasso, I.x.1994). The larva was in a it to the Trinidad list. should be noted that S. ascalaphus and S. shelter made from an entire leaf rolled Male plain brown UPS and UNS; mazaas Reakirt are now considered to be upwards along the mid-rib. The mature indistinct traces of apical spots in spaces separate species anyway (Monroe & larva measured about 15 mm. Head chor­ 7-8; indistinct traces of darker discal Miller 1967, Freeman 1969). Kaye first date in shape, rounded; black, covered bands; UNS head light whitish brown, obtained this species from Trinidad in with long pale erect setae; the basal 'neck' except third segment of labial palpus 1898 (Kaye 1904), and his specimens are very narrow. Body translucent, dull dark dark. The male lacks the discal spots of S. now part of the type series along with green; a clear dorsal line owing to the lenis, and the genitalia (Figures 1-3) are specimens from St. Ann's Valley, Port of absence of subcutaneous fat bodies; a distinct. Costal fold; F dl2 mm. Spain, St. Clair, Palmiste, and a single narrow white sub-dorsal line; a white lat­ Female similar to male but UPS with male from Mexico. eralline owiag to the trachea connecting faint discal and marginal brown bands, The male is similar to the male of S. the spiracles visible through the cuticle. and tiny hyaline white apical dots in kayei, but lacks the orange colouring on Spiracles pale, inconspicuous; legs and spaces 6-8, of which that in space 8 is the head (fresh specimens have a few prolegs concolorous. The pupa was larger. The reduced F spotting distinguish orange-yellow scales, especially on the formed in a shelter constlUcted from a the female from that of S. lenis, while the palpi), and has white hyaline dots in single leaf by folding the tip upwards to uniform UNH will distinguish the female space 2 (below origin of vein 3), spaces the base. The male pupa which measured of S. eyro from that of S. kaye; which is 7-8, and cell; the UNS of the palpi and 14 mm is rounded with no frontal spike; pale at the tornus UNH. F \'13 mm. head are light grey-brown, the cheeks it is covered with white waxy powder So far this species is known only from white. Steinhauser (1989) illustrates the (although the inside of the shelter is not) Chacachacare Is. and not from the island adult male (Figures 47,48) and the male apart from the Tl spiracle which is brown of Trinidad. In January 1980, I took a genitalia (Figure 91). Lewis (1973, Plate and conspicuous. male at Rust's Bay and a female on the track to the lighthouse (Cock 1982b). Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Cub 1995-1996 29 -

Plates 10 Plates 13 Plates 11-13 The subspecies pyralina was described from Surinam and its range extends from Mexico to the Amazons and Bolivia. The nominate subspecies, described without locality, differs from pyralina in having a white tornal area UNH, and is found in the Andes, South Brazil to Argentina. Evans (1953) treated plautia as a sub­ species of begga, but I foHow Mie11r.e (1973) who raised it to the status of a sep­ Figures 1·3 Male genitalia of Staphylus tyro Plates 11-12 arate species, treated separately below. (Chacachacare Island, 15.;.1980); scale bar Kaye (1904) recorded pyralina as a dis­ 1 mm. 1, genitalia with valves removed, lat­ Amaranthaceae. The food plant was tinct species from Trinidad. eral view; 2, uncus and gnathos dorsal view; growing along a forest path, in an area The male UPS is very dark brown, 3, left valve, internal view where Ouleus fridericus sinepunctis also with moUled markings all over the UPF flew; adults of the two species might well and the UPH except the margin; white Kendall (1976) records the larval food be confused in such a situation, but hyaline apical spots in spaces 7-8. UNS plant of S. azteca as Celosia nitida Stapbylus sp. has tiny white white hya­ brown, with very obscure markings UNF, (Amarantbaceae) in Mexico. It therefore line spots on the fore wing ,as indicated and coarse striations UNH, strongest in seems most likely that S. tyro will also be above. the tarnal area. The female is similar to found to feed on one of the The larval shelter was an irregular flap the male, but the overall impression of Amaranthaceae. folded over upwards and hinged along its the UPS is moUled brown and dark 9Sa. E32/? SlIIphylus sp. inde!. long axis. The larva head was rounded, brown, rather than the very dark brown of Plate 10 slightly chordate in shape; the posterior the male; in some specimens the mottled I have two females of this fourth margin of the head was very strongly markings of the UPH extend to the mar­ species of Staphylus: one from constricted; dull and rugose; covered with gin, but become quite diffuse. Illustration Panylands (13 .ii.1980) and the other long pale setae. Body dull translucent in Lewis (1973, Plate 83, No.6, UNS ssp. reared from Inniss Field (2.x.1994). A green; dorsal line slightly darker; lateral beggs Prittwitz with white area UNH tor­ possible third specimen from Curepe line apparent due to trachea visible nus), No costal fold; F d'13-1S mm; F 9 lacks an abdomen. I cannot name these through cuticle; legs concolorous; spira­ 13-14 mm. without an associated male. cles inconspicuous. The pupa measured The male can quite easily be separated The females are brown, with scattered 12 mm; rounded in contour; brown, cov­ from the other two members of the genus. pale scales forming indistinct narrow ered with white waxy powder; spiracle The male of G. beggina escaJophoides is bands; F white hyaline spots in space 1 B TI free of wax, brown and conspicuous. a lighter brown, comparable to the female (double discal, just below vein 2), 2 Gust of G. begga pyralina, and the fore wings above spot in space lB), 3 (a trace only, Gorgythion are more rounded, the termen angled at outwardly displaced from those in 1 B and This genus can be one of the most con­ vein 3, rather than at vein 4 or 5 as in G. 2), 6-8; UNH tornal third of wing pale fusing in the Trinidad skipper fauna. begga pyralina. G. plautia also is very (but not as pale as in S. kayeJ); F 9 13.5 However, if reliably identified reference dark brown and has pointed wings, but it mm. material is available, accurate determina­ is smaller, the UPS markings are reduced The larva from Inniss Field was col­ tions can be made. Three of the sil:: to the base of the wings, and the UNS tor­ lected on what I believe was a member of described species of the genus occur in nal area is distinctly white. the Acanthaceae, but unfortunately the Trinidad. The male genitalia of all three The females of the three species of food plant material which I collected for species are distinct (Evans 1953). Gorgytbion are rather more difficult to identification was lost. With hindsight, 96. E36/1 Gorgythion begga pymJina distinguish. G. plautia is smaller than the this could have been a member of the MOscbIer 1876

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Oub 1995·1996 30 other two, and although the markings are Although Evans (1953) treated plauria ing into white, several irregular brown similar, the UNS white tornal area should as a subspecies of Gorgyrbion begga, it discal striations. Female similar to male, separate this species. The female of G. differs in markings, wing shape and gen­ except wings much more rounded , and begga pyralina, and both sexes of G. beg­ italia and overlaps in range with G. mottled markings extend over the whole gina escalophoides, are coufusingly alike. begga. Hence, I fully agree with Miellte of the UPF. Differences from other mem­ However, in material before me, G. beg­ (1973) who separated it from G. begga as bers of the genus are discussed under G. gina escalophoides has the UPH mark­ a distinct, valid species. Its range extends begg. pyralina above. No costal fold; F d' ings extending clearly to the margin, from Trinidad to the Guyanas (TL 13 mm; F ~ 11.5-12.5 mm whereas in G. begga pyralina, they fade Surinam) and Brazil. Schaus (1902) This species is considerably scarcer out or become obscure before the margin described beggojdes as a new species than its putative conspecific pyralin., is reached. from Trinidad, but Evans (1953) lists it as occurring principally on the lower ridges This species is to be found quite com­ a synonym of plauria. Kaye (1904) of the Northern Range (Morne Catharine monly in scrub and secondary forest, and recorded beggoides from Trinidad as a to Guanapo Valley). However, I also along forest tracks throughout the island, subspecies of begga and comments that it have a female from the summit ridge of but mostly at low altitudes. I have seen is "a rather variable species in size and the Trinity Hills (29.xii.1981) and I have several specimens from Nariva Swamp intensity of markings"; however, in view seen it at Inniss Field (2 .x.1994). There is (e.G. Cock 1982a). Two males captured of my conclusions below he was probably a female in the NHM from "Mora Forest" in San Miguel Valley (behind St. referring to another species, or had con­ collected by S. A. Neave (16.i.1924), a Benedict's - also known as St. Michael fused two sexes of Doe of the GorgytbioD male from Manzanilla in the Allyn Valley) were playing together in a shaft spp. Museum , and it has been taken at Brigand of sunlight in an old cacao estate Kaye (1940) described Sostrata pusilla Hill (SAS). Although this species is gen­ (17.x.1979). Life history and food plants manzanilla from a specimen he took at erally found in forested situations, adults un..knowD.. Manzanilla (12.ii.1926). Evans(1953) will come to forest margins to feed on 968. E36/1 Gorgylhion plauM identified a male from Venezuela in the flowers such as Bidens pilosa. Moscbler 1876 NHM as this subspecies but there are no Moss (1949) includes no iuformation ~puillalliUl/iII"'Kaye 1904S)11...... other specimens attributed to it. Kaye's on this species, although the NHM col­ (1940) description is as follows: "A very lection includes material that he reared dark local race without any blue scaling from 'lucea creeper' or 'cabe'. His pre­ at base but instead a ligbter brown area served material suggests that the larva bas with dark blackish spots. The large mar­ a light brown heart-shaped head, with the ginal area very dark brownish-black." dorsal indentation darker and shiny; the The type was in Kaye's collection and ocelli are pale against a dark background ought to be in the Allyn Museum of and the whole head is covered with Entomology. However, S.R Steinhauser brown hairs. The differences between (pers. comm. 1992) has checked the spec­ Moss's material and mine described imen in the type collection, and finds it is below suggest there may be some confu­ a specimen of Gorgyrb;on plauria taken sion with the labelling of Moss's material. at Manzanilla, 22.iii.1922 by F.W SAS has reared G. plauria in Trinidad Jackson, and labelled "Sostrata pusilla from Hiraea reclinata (Malphigiaceae). I manzanillae (sic!) Kaye" , in Kaye's writ­ have reared G. plautia from a fourth instar ing, along with a museum Type Label. larva found on Heteropteris nervosa (also Having checked all the available material Malphigiaceae) on Morne Catharine I conclude that the type of manzani1Ja is (26.ii.1994). The early larval shelter is a now lost, and Kaye labelled the Jackson triangular flap cut from the edge of a red­ specimen in his collection to match his green flush leaf. Larger larvae shelter species. Kaye's original description given between two leaves, one on top of the above matches the male of G. plautia other, the larva resting on the under sur­ quite well. Hence manzanilla is almost face of the upper leaf. The larva grows to celtainly a junior synonym of G. plauria. about 22 mm , and the fourth and fifth Accordingly, in the absence of the origi­ instars are similar. The bead is chordate; - nal type, I accept the specimen in the predominantly brown; posterior margin Allyn Museum as representative of the black; a broad, dark , dorsal bar across the taxon intended by Kaye. antero-dorsal margin between the two Male UPS very dark brown, almost apices; from each end of this bar, a short, black; mottled markings vary in extent broad, yellow line runs downwards and from basal third to basal half of UPF and inwards, to about half way down the face; UPH; hyaline white apical dot in space 8 the area between these two lines is yellow and sometimes in 7; UNF brown, paler at with brown spots; lower part of face Plates 14-16 dorsum; UNH brown, tornal third shad- black-brown below this yellow area; lat-

Living World Journal of the Trinidad &. Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995· 1996 31 Life History Data for Three Tyrant Aycatchers Victor C Quesnel P.O. Box 47. Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The subjecls of Ihis nole are Ihe Pied Waler­ 12 days (2) and 13 days (1) from the week before the eggs were laid. lt had Tyranl, Ihe While -headed Marsh-Tyranl and date of the third egg. The chicks all left been built on a fluorescent light fixture the Greal Kiskadee. Tirey are all common in the nest on 2 August 1990, two being in a greenhouse. about three meters Trinidad and, at first sighl, it seems surpris­ seen nearby afterwards. Times to fledg­ from the ground. Three eggs were laid, ing Ihal ffrencl. (/991) gives no informalion ing were thus 11 days (1) and 12 days one each on 13, 14 and 15 August 198B. on incubalion or fledging for any of them. (2). Two chicks hatched on 1 September and However, their nests have two fea­ 2. The nest was about one metre the third on 4 September. On 15 tures in common that may account for above ground in a Solanum jamaicensis September the chicks were still in the this - inaccessibility and dome shaped plant. Three eggs were laid, one each on nest. The nest was not checked on 16 or architecture. The first two species build 26, 27 and 28 February 1991. Tho 17 September but the behaviour of the nests in shrubs near to, overhanging, or chicks hatched on 12 March and the parents showed no change from that of within a body of water, and although the third on 13 March between 0800 and the preceding days. On the morning of nest may be within a metre of the 1040 hr for incubation times of 12 days 18 September the bahaviour of the par­ ground or water surface, the location (2) and 13 days (1) from the date of the ents was noticeably different and on will often make repeated access imprac­ third egg. checking the nest I found it empty. I tical. The Great Kiskadee, on the other On 24 March the nest was found in a was afraid that the chicks had been lost hand, builds nests high in trees, often partially collapsed condition, with one to a predator, but later that day I saw spiny trees such as the swamp fledgling lying on the ground below, one, and on the following day I saw two immortelle (£rylhrina glauca ), and the covered with ants but still alive though and presumed that all had len the nest nest is usually out of reach or too diffi­ unable to fly. There was no sign of the safely on 18 September. If incubation cult to get to for repeated observations. other two chicks; possibly they were the started after the laying of the third egg, All three species build domed nests older chicks and had flown successfully it lasted 17 days for two eggs and 18 with side entrances, and this too hinders at 12 days from hatching. days for on<' egg. If incubation began observation. Without a dentist's mirror 3. The nest was about 1.5 m above after the laying of the second egg (as or its equivalent, it is impossible to see ground on a wire support for a bar­ seems to occur for Fluvicola pica ). into any of the nests without risking badeen vine. When found ory 21 January incubation would have taken 18 days damage to them. Thus, all observations 1992 it contained two eggs. On 3 for all three eggs. Assuming that all must be made by touch instead of by February it contained one egg and one chicks flew on the same day (as seems sight, with a consequent decrease in chick though early in the morning it had likely), fledging took 16 days for one accuracy. contained two eggs. The unhatched egg chick and 17 days for two chicks. I have been fortunate that the ponds did not hatch subsequently. Taking the 2. A nest less than two meters up in at Haven Hill Farm where I live, attract day of finding as the start of incubation, a black sage shrub (Cordia curassavica) the first two species, and the semi-iso­ this lasted 13 days. The chick flew on contained three chicks when found on 5 lated trees of swamp immortelle, milk­ 15 February and was seen being fed by March 1994. They were still there on 19 wood (Sapium glandulosum ) and crap­ the parents up to 23 February 1992. The March. On 20 March, while I tried to po (Carapa guianensis ) attract the time to fledging was thus 12 days. count the chicks by feel, one flew out third. All three species have nested reg­ The observations at the first two and landed in the middle of the pond on ularly "on my door-step" during the past nests suggest that incubation began the bank of which the shrub was grow­ twelve years. Thus, it has been relative­ after the second egg was laid as it must ing. With flapping motions of it's wings ly easy for me to study several nests of have done in the third nest where only the chick managed to paddle its way the first two species. and to make two eggs were laid. If this happened, all safely to the opposite bank where it repeated observations on one nest of the the eggs would have taken 13 days to climbed out and hid itself in the shrub­ Great Kiskadee that was built on crop hatch. At all the nests the observations bery. Later that day both remaining support wires in a greenhouse that was are compatible with 12 days for fledg­ chicks vacated the nest, and were seen temporarily out of use. At a height of ing. on a nearby shrub with the female par­ only three meters from the ground it ent. Fledging thus took a minimum of ffrench (1991) records nesting in the was easily accessible by ladder. 15 days, which fits well with the results months of June - October and January. from the first nest . Pied Water-lYrant - Fluvicola pica. The above records add February to the 1. The nest was 1.5 m above ground list and I have other records for eggs in Great Kiskadee -PiJangus sulphuratus. in a tomato plant. Three eggs were laid, May. The incomplete nest was discovered one each on 9, 10, and 11 July 1990. Wbite-headed Marsb lYrant­ in the greenhouse on 5 April 1992 and is Two chicks hatched on 23 July and the Arundinicola [eucocephala. the only nest I have seen just three third on 24 July for incubation times of 1. The nest was discovered about one meters from the ground. Its construction living World Journal or the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995· 1996 38 was followed day by day and checked nest as follows. The appearance of two entirely reasonable. Unfortunately, the for eggs every second day until the first chicks in the nest on 3-5 May was parents did not reuse the nest and anoth­ egg was found. Three eggs were laid, incorrect and probably caused by feel­ er opportunity like this is unlikely to one each on 13, 14 and 15 April. The ing the head and body of one chick as recur. nest was not checked again until 29 two separate objects and hence two April, after which it was checked every chicks. Only one chick hatched, on 3 An interesting question remains. day. On 3 May it seemed to contain two May after 18 days measured from the How were the eggs removed from the eggs and two chicks. On 13 May there laying of the third egg. It died 16 days nest? Presumably one or both of the was one chick and no eggs This situa­ later, possibly 6-7 days from full fledg­ parents removed them and did the job tion lasted until 19 May when the chick ing. This puts the Great Kiskadee with by taking the eggs into the widely was found dead and infested with mag­ only five other local Tyrant flycatchers opened bill one at a time. gots. The wing quills had grown out 3- that have long incubation periods of 18- 4 mm from the cases and the breast 20 days (ffrench 1991). Two of the five, Reference: feathers were yellow. I estimated that the Boat-billed Flycatcher !french, R. 1991. A guide to the birds another 6-7 days were needed for full (Megarhynchus pitangua) and the fledging. Yellow-olive Flycatcher (Tolmomyias of Trinidad and Tobago, 2nd edition, I have resolved the uncertainties sulphureseens), have fledging periods Comstock Publishing Associates, caused by not being able to see into the of 22-24 days so that my estimate is Ithaca, New York. BOOK REVIEWS Birds of Trinidad & Tobago:A Photographic Atlas. Russell Barrow. 1994 Media and Editorial Products Ltd., Port of Spain, Trinidad. 121 pp 131 colour plates, 2 maps, 1 line drawing.

Although Trinidad and Tobago has a by one or two pictures, many of these in great majority of pictures are very well long tradition of interest in natural his- close-up, and often depicting male and exposed and accurately focused, with tory - the Field Naturalists' Club having female (and sometimes immature) beautiful colours true to life. One of the recently celebrated its centenary - for plumage. The pictures are accompanied hardest colours to reproduce photo­ some unaccountable reason there has by a short note, explaining where the graphically is blue, and the picture of for most of this century been a lack of birds may be found, some points of the Blue-gray Tanager on page 113 is expertise and interest in ornithology identification, or some detail of behav­ less successful than the others, appear­ amongst those born and bred here. It is iour. Each species is designated by the ing as rather intense greenish turquoise therefore with the greatest of pleasure definitive English name, the scientific instead of the delicate greyish blue of that I welcome the appearance of Dr. name, and an approximate measure­ real life. A more serious error appears Russell Barrow's book, a truly local ment of length. In his Introduction the on page 49, where the right-hand bird production in every sense. Hearty con- author disclaims a scientific approach, facing the Green Hermit is mis-identi­ gratulations are in order, principally of describing the book as primarily a pho­ fied a Little Hermit, when it is actually course to the author/photographer, but tographic atlas. The species were select­ a Rufus-breasted Hermit. In some other also to the publishers, printers and cor- ed for their attractive colour, as well as pictures the attitudes and habitat appear porate sponsors for their belief, courage to cover a broad range of habitats. contrived rather than natural. It may be and determination in bringing the work The Introduction also includes intriguing to see birds caught in the act to fruition. I know only too well the detailed advise on photographic equip­ of taking off or landing, but it can also many frustrations that can attend such ment and techniques, clearly a speciality look decidedly odd. In addition, quite a an enterprise, and it is greatly to the of the author. 1\vo diagrams depict few pictures show unmistakable signs credit of all concerned that all obstacles Tobago and northern Trinidad, with 3- (e.g. unnatural poses or extreme close­ were so successfully overcome. The letter acronyms to pinpoint certain ups) of having been taken in studio con­ outcome is an attractive, well-produced localities favoured by the author in his ditions with captive birds,which might volume, which will not only give much studies, with brief notes relating to properly have been mentioned in the pleasure in itself, but will also serve to each. Three of these acronyms are gen­ Introduction. This in no way detracts promote environmental awareness in eral, indicating a species is widespread from their value as beautiful and inter­ this country. throughout either island or both. esting pictures. The book presents photographic por- Finally, an index gives page references Since the author makes it plain that traits, in "coffee-table" format, of 81 for all species mentioned in the book. this is not a scientific treatise, it seems species of birds found on Trinidad and The prime purpose of the book is inappropriate to be critical of the text on Tobago (less than one-fifth of those photographic portraiture, and in this it points of taxonomic or behavioural recorded). Each species is represented generally succeeds with distinction. The detail. The species accounts convey Ijving World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 39 vividly the author's sense of excitement Among the species accounts it is stat­ length of the White-shouldered had and wonder at the natural world, which ed (p.36) that the Willet is "resident at been correctly given as 5 or 6 inches he communicates successfully to the the Beetham ponds, implying that this (not 7). general reader. I will, however, com­ species breeds there (when it does not The above reservations do not detract ment briefly on a few errors On the actually breed at all in Trinidad). A in any significant way from the overall Tobago map (p.lO) both Speyside and more serious implication (p.56) is that value of this book,which while fairly Blue Waters Inn seem to have slipped a parents in the Long-billed Starthroat expensive, remains an outstanding con­ few miles to the south. (I am reminded both feed the young. In reality, there are tribution to the natural history of the of a film made many years ago by a no known cases of any male humming­ area. I! certainly belongs in the library British television company on bird building a nest, incubating, brood­ of anyone truly interested in the wildlife Trinidad's wildlife. The makers clearly ing or feeding young birds. There is of Trinidad and Tobago, and would be a felt that any map of Trinidad should thus no pair bond in hummingbirds and most worthy souvenir for anyone visit­ show the Pitch Lake, but not knowing no pair as such .. A small point on p.116: ing or living temporarily in the area. their geography they situated it several the two tanager species would have miles north-east of Arima !!) been more clearly distinguished if the Richard ffrench

A Guide to Wild Flowers of Trinidad and Tobago EJulian Duncan Photographic il/ustrations by Julian S. Kenny Asa Wright Nature Centre. 1993, 88 pp

Public awareness of environmental in its method of pollination. The second a preface, an introduction which matters has increased enormously over is one of only a very few green flowers describes the the different structures of the past ten to twenty years and with it , and not just a pale green or greenish­ flowers and inflorescences, a glossary the need for books dealing with differ­ white, but a really intense green. of technical terms and an index_ ent aspects of natural history. Slowly On the other hand, there are some Julian Kenny is a well known pho­ but surely this need is being met with unexpected omissions, such as St John's tographer through his exhibitions and books such as Caribbean Flora by Bush (Justicia secunda ), black sage the illustrations for his own book Dennis Adams(1976), Butterflies and (Cordia curassavica ), wild tobacco Native Orchids of the Eastern other Insects of the Eastern Caribbean (Acnistus arborescens ) and Christmas Caribbean The illustrations for this by P.O. Stiling (1986), Native Orchids Bush (Eupatorium odorata ). These are book are up to his usual high standard. of the Eastern Caribbean by Julian all so common, at least where I live, that There is, however. an unfortunate error; Kenny (1988), a new addition of The I imagine many people will see them the illustration for the basket Iiane Birds of Trinidad and Tobago by and perhaps wish to know their names. (Phryganocydia corymbosa ) is not Richard ffrench (1991), and the smaller But, we must allow the author the free­ Phryganocydia but Cydista aequinoc­ Birds of Trinidad and Tobago by the dom to choose; he must have good rea­ tialiis. The two are similar, but same author (1988). Now we have this sons for his choice thougb he has not Phryganocydia is bluer than Cydista Guide to the Wild Flowers of Trinidad revealed them. and with much less distinct dark lines in and Tobago by Julian Duncan. I! is a The flowers are grouped by colour so the throat of the corolla, and with a well-produced and attractive little book that identifying an unknown one is easy spathe-like calyx instead of the cup­ with descriptions and illustrations of 65 - just find the right section and compare shaped calyx of Cydista. The two wild flowers, adequately covering the the specimen with the illustration .. species also differ in habitat and flower­ ing behaviour. wide range of types. In the text there is very little infor­ Most of the plants are common mation about the plants apart from the This book deserves a warm wel­ weeds that can be seen just about any­ description of the flowers. Usually we come. I! should appeal to all persons where and so are truly wild, but some, are told where the plant grows, e.g. on who already have an interest in plants. such as Corallita, are escapees from cul­ roadsides or in damp places, and for­ I! should attract even those outdoor tivation that have spread and become eign plants that are naturalized are types who in their hikes into the hills common. There are some surprises in identified as such. More information of and valleys rush past the plants with scarcely a look, and, certainly every the list. For instance, in my experience, this type, especially flowering behav­ member of this club should feel the Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia grandi­ iour, would have made the book more need to own a copy. flora) is a rare plant, and so is Matalea useful with very little increase in size or viridiflora for which there is no com­ cost. Reference to plants that are similar mon name. Yet these are both included, to the plants illustrated might also have and perhaps with good reason. The first been useful. Besides the main section is unusual in both shape and colour, and where the flowers are described, there is Victor C. Quesnel

Living World Journal of the Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1995-1996 40