Who are those strange-looking nosey fellows discussing the question of bananas? Why, of course, every naturalist knows them, they are the famous Hercules beetles (Dynastes hercules.) Many have marveled at their grotesque form, and there are few museums whose insect collections do not hold forever a number of these strange insects. Although they may be seen there, and bought in the dried state from many dealers, there are few who have had the chance to study them under natural conditions, where they are reared and where they live their blundering lives and where they die.

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The Everglades region of southern Florida has generally been supposed to be an American product without a rival. This notion must be revised. Within a few hours’ ride of Havana, Cuba, it is possible to enter a region that not only duplicates all the interesting features of the great swamp at the southern end of the Florida Peninsula, but is one that has additional attractions to offer This Cuban Everglades is on the south coast of the island, within easy reach of the capital, by rail, or by water from Batabano, the port south of Havana. It is known as the Zapata-the Shoe-or the Great Zapata Swamp.

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The Cuban Everglades plays host to a variety of valuable woods, which are found on the coral formation of the forest, including the fine Cuban mahogany and Spanish cedar. A railroad has been carried across the swamp in one place from a sugar plantation, north of the region, to port on the Caribbean Sea.

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In Dominica my beetles came to me at night in most cases. When the sun had gone to rest, and the strange sounds of Dominican nightlife echoed loudly through the surrounding forests, our oil lamps brought many a weird creature to our tables. Occasionally there would be a deep booming like the sound of a far distant aeroplane, and then from somewhere out of the night would come a great Hercules beetle landing with a roar and commotion upon the window ledge or door sill.

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Cuba has wisely placed a heavy fine for unnecessarily cutting the stately royal palms which are so useful to its’ economy and social needs. Cutting is allowable only where the trees stand’ in the way of needed ditches, highways and other improvements. Within the glades are frequent pools of clear water starred with pink and white lotus. Here and there are clumps of shimmering palmettos, known as palma cana and vana prieto. These give variety to the otherwise monotonous stretches of treeless marsh. Near the margin are belts of mixed hardwoods and royal palms.

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Crocodiles of huge size are plentiful in the Cuban Everglades, as well as a great variety of waterfowl. Some of the streams heading in the swamp afford excellent fishing. Mangrove snappers and tarpon abound in them. The hutia, a tree-going, ratlike animal is found in large numbers.

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Nature has some terrible and extreme forms of expression such storms, terrifying winds and floods. One of the most severe and fear inducing natural events is the earthquake and the various levels of devastation it can leave behind.

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Far beneath us lie the “Tectonic Plates” of the Earth’s crust; slow moving and huge, these 50 mile thick wedges of rock are continuously grinding against each other creating massive energy and heat. Great pressure accumulates here which occasionally leads to energy waves or ’shock waves’ that travel upwards through the ‘mantle’ of the Earth and are evidenced where we are as ground vibrations. Damage can occur along theses tectonic plate boundaries or along geological fault lines and these are known as ‘zones of weakness’.

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The question as to whether the Alaska brown bear is dangerous has been settled in my own mind. It depends upon the individual bear. We camped at the un-dynamited falls a mile up stream on Seal Bay, but no bears came to fish. We packed on up, taking in addition to provisions a light rubber boat or air-raft which weighed eleven pounds and could be carried in a pack sack.

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The sockeye or red is the main commercial fish of Alaska. When it comes in from the ocean it has a bluish tint. As it works on up to fresh water, the color of the body gradually changes as it nears spawning time. The body is a bright red, plainly visible in the water below. As male and female struggle on up the stream, the reds are easy to follow because of their color.

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