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[[preprinted]] 86 [[/preprinted]]  

St Lucia 56 

brought two bird skeletons which Dick had asked him to get. One is the [[insertion]] cinclocerthia ruficauda [[/insertion]] Trembleur and the other is the Che [[blank space]] Sanctae Lucia - a very rare bird which John says will be extinct in 5 or 6 years. He also brought the skin of the latter bird. The Trembleur pecks wood and John says that in that in all rights it should be called the West Indian woodpecker. The descriptions of these birds is to be found in Danforth's Birds of St. Lucia published in Puerto Rico.
John is rather an interesting boy to talk to and it is lucky that he isn't shy, as I had to entertain him until Dick came home - about 1 hr & a half. He recounted some rather interesting tales of experiences while bird collecting. One was of having been bitten by a boa. Another of the difficulties of collecting in Martinique. It seems one can shoot only on one's own land, and because of this a stranger has to rent a piece of land to do his shooting on.
Dick came home very tired and disgusted. Someone had stolen the bolts (newly made) to his crate and he had to get some new ones made at once. Putting the motor in the crate is itself hard enough work, without the extra bother of getting new bolts etc.

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[[preprinted]] 87 [[/preprinted]]

Yesterday Dick lost his pen. So he gave a description of it to Stanley John, who is connected with the detective force, and John feels quite certain that it can be recovered.
We went up to dinner a little late, but found the Boxes & Capt. just starting. After dinner we said our adieus and went [[strikethrough]] a [[/strikethrough]] back to the cottage to finish our packing.
A little after 11 the signal tower hung out a light to show that a ship was sighted, and at 12 Mr Hackshaw's men came for the trunk and baggage. The ship came in a little before one and we boarded her about 1:30 - the Nerissa.
After getting settled we went ashore again to Skeete's Curiosity Shop as I wanted to see him about stamps.  In bulk he sells them at 1/8 a hundred. I got a hundred and will get more later as they seem fairly good.  Dick bought 2 queer coins which were not very expensive.
This time we had cabin #4 - we never seem to be in the same one twice.  Pragnall is, of course, our steward.
We were asleep before the boat got under way.

Transcription Notes:
Names of bird and the Danforth book checked.