ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THEDOMINICAN REPUBLICBy Alexander WetmoreAssistant Secretary, Smithsonian InstitutionandFrederick C. LincolnBiologist, Bureau of Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture
INTRODUCTIONIn continuation of biological studies in Hispaniola under theSmithsonian Institution, we were engaged in field investigations inHaiti and the Dominican Republic in the spring of 1931, being oc-cupied principally with birds but making supplementary observationsin other fields as opportunity presented. Our principal objectivewas the exploration of certain areas from which information andspecimens were particularly needed. The expenses of field work wereborne by the Smithsonian Institution, with certain assistance fromDr. W. L. Abbott, whose interest in this region has been of longstanding. The Bureau of Biological Survey of the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture cooperated in this work through the detailof the junior author, particularly to permit study of the spring migra-tion among migrant birds from North America on this interestingisland. ITINERARYWe arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on the morning of March 22,1931, landing from the Panama Steamship Line S.S. Ancon in theblaze of morning sunshine usual at this season of the year. Throughthe courtesy of Captain Davis, captain of the port, our equipmentwas expeditiously passed through customs, and we were soon com-fortably established ashore. At noon with friends we visited Kenskoff
,
driving up by automobile, to make our first observations, in partover a trail traversed laboriously on foot during an earlier visit byWetmore in 1927.Through the courtesy of the authorities, necessary permits for ourwork and other details were soon arranged. On March 25 we traveledby automobile with S. W. Parish to Cap-Haitien, and continuednext day to the sisal plantation of the Haitian American DevelopmentNo. 2966.
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Proceedings U.S. National Museum. Vol. 82, Art. 25.172294?33 1 1
2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Co., near Terrier Rouge, where we were hospitably received by Mr.and Mrs. R. L. Pettigrew and were given quarters in the guest house,which was on an eminence overlooldng the bay at Fort Liberte.The thorny scrubs of the level plain had been cleared from an areaof 7,500 acres to allow the planting of sisal, and a further clearing oflike extent was at the time under way. On March 27 and 30, wevisited the low, double-pointed hill called Morne des Mammelles(pi. 1), located a short distance west of the bay, being the onlyeminence in an otherwise level landscape, where we found the flat-billed vireo and the piculet. On March 29 we went by launch to oldFort La Bouque at the entrance of the bay. Birds were abundant allthrough this region. On March 31 we returned to Port-au-Prince,stopping en route at Pont de I'Estere to secure a specimen of thetawny-shouldered blackbird and of the thick-knee.Through the courtesy of Colonel Cutts and Maj. J. E. Davis,U.S.M.C., in the early morning of April 3 the senior author made areconnaissance by air of the La Hotte Mountain Range at the westernend of the Tiburon Peninsula with Sergt. R. A. Trevelyan as pilot.We left the flying field at Port-au-Prince at sunrise, traveling westalong the coast, and then crossing to Aux Cayes, which gave a pointof departure for the trip into the interior. Fortunately the morningwas clear, as the peaks of La Hotte are ordinarily hidden in clouds,and the mountain came into sight as soon as we had crossed thecenter of the peninsula, bulking on the horizon high above any of theother ranges. Beyond Camp Perrin we turned directly toward LaHotte, crossing above a wonderful stand of dense rain forest thatcovered the eastern and southeastern slopes of the mountain, beginningapparently at about 1,000 meters altitude or higher. Obviously thesection was one of heavy rainfall. To the north of the mountain wererolling ridges with considerable human habitation. Crossing overDesbarriere, Trevelyan turned directly toward the north face of themountain, flying above a deep intervening valley. The northernslope of the Pic de Macaya was covered with pine forest of large size,without sign of trails or human habitation. A deep valley separatedPic du Formon from Macaya, the tree growth there being dense andprincipally rain forest. La Grande Colline, the third peak in themountain complex, lower in elevation than the other two, was coveredprincipally with pine. Traveling first at a few hundred feet elevationto get the lay of the land, we later descended so that the airplanetraversed the deep intervening valleys and crossed the highest pointsof all three peaks only a few feet above the trees. On the northwestpoint of Macaya, the highest of the three, was a small clearing madeby Engineur Dejour the year previous. We crossed and recrossedover slopes whose wild beauty it is difficult to describe, looking downinto the dark, wet depths of jungle, where there was no indication
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 3that man had ever set foot, and which the imagination peopled withany manner of strange and unusual birds. Both Macaya and Formonare long ridges with little plateau area at the top, extending east andwest with steep pitches on the eastern faces.We left the mountain finally from the south face of Formon. FromPort a Piment a valley with many habitations leads up to a rollingcultivated plateau, apparently the region designated on maps as LesPlatons, which offers easy access to the base of Formon and the rainforest on the southwest face of the mountain.With knowledge gained from this reconnaissance, wdiich throughthe intelligent cooperation of Sergeant Trevelyan was most complete,w^e proceeded with arrangements for field work in the La Hottesection, one of the major objectives of the expedition.On April 5 we left Port-au-Prince by automobile with S. W. Parishand with H. W. Krieger, of the National Museum. We arrived thatafternoon at Aux Cayes, where we spent the night, and continuednext day by way of Camp Perrin to Post Avance, which marked theend of construction passable for vehicular traffic on the proposed high-way to Jeremie. From here Mr. Krieger returned, while we organizeda pack train with the assistance of Engineur Dejour, who had workedin the La Hotte area, and whose services had been obtained throughthe assistance of Commander Duncan, of the Travaux Publique.Post Avance has an altitude of approximately 450 meters. The workof arranging the packs was slow as usual, and it was 2 o'clock in theafternoon before we were on our w^ay. Our route followed the lineestablished for the continuation of the motor road, going steadilyupward, with views of the sea and lie a Vache in the distance. AtTombe Cheval w^e descended a steep and muddy pitch in a blindingrain, and about 5 o'clock reached the summit of the ridge at Geffrard,where we stopped for the night at a little native hut, the fog and rainstill continuing. We started to erect a tent but were given the use ofone room in a little dirt-floored house, where there was space for ourcots and where we were under shelter. Our camp was at 740 meters.The following morning we were out at dawn and, after the usualdifficulties besetting this type of travel, were under way a little after9 o'clock. A slide had blocked the trail a short distance ahead, mak-ing necessary a detour through a dense rain forest over steep trails,deep in mud, where our animals slipped and plunged and we were attimes compelled to descend and walk for our own safety. In placesmudholes that we could not avoid were belly-deep on our mules.The rain forest extended to Donte, the route leading through the edgeof the great expanse of forest that had been seen from the air. Thetrail had been blocked at Donte to prevent passage, but we filled inthe cut and proceeded without other incident than considerable loudtalk. The slope beyond became steadily steeper until finally we had
4 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82to walk wliile the packs were removed and carried by porters. FromGeffrard we had descended to 250 meters, but on tliis high point wewere again at 740 meters elevation. Wliile waiting at the top of theridge for part of the outfit, we collected a fine cloud swift.Rain began again, and we crossed a series of stony ridges grownwith low trees where habitations were few, to stumble and slip finallydown a long pitch into the cultivated valley at Les Glaces, where weforded the stream of this same name. At Les Glaces we found ascattered settlement of 40 or 50 houses whose inhabitants wereamazed to see white men. With darkness approaching we continuedover muddy trails until we came out suddenly on the broad highwaythat was being pushed across from Jeremie, and in a blinding rainreached the settlement of Deron, where we were hospitably receivedin the house of Lifaite Loco, Chef de Seccion, who placed a room atour disposal and provided quarters for our men. The terrific down-pour that began with our arrival continued without abatement until4 o'clock the following morning, so that we were thankful for thegalvanized-iron roof over our heads in spite of the tremendous noisethat the water made upon it.As the streams were so high that fords were impassable, we remaineduntil April 8 at Deron to make collections and to dry out our outfit.The region was an undulating plateau rising in liigh liills, on whichwere small areas of the original forest. Elsewhere the land was culti-vated or planted to coffee. The elevation at the house of Loco was620 meters.We left Deron at 1:15 on the afternoon of April 9, having beendelayed by waiting for the return of a man sent the previous day toCorail for supplies. Our way led over rolling ridges covered withcoffee, and supporting a considerable population. Late in the after-noon we came out on a knife-edged ridge, with a trail following alongthe top and the slopes falling away abruptly on either side, andclimbed a steep pitch to a pointed knoll grown with pines. Tliis wasthe Bois Pin Lacadonis, and as we rested we admired the open standof pines in contrast to the dense jungle growths that we had crossedpreviously. After fording a small stream below there, part of theoutfit took the wrong trail and was soon in trouble on the steep slopes,with animals down so that part of the loads had to be carried by hand.While we waited we watched circling flocks of the mountain swallow{Lamprochelidon sclateri) and collected one for a specimen. Withthe outfit assembled once more, we continued as rapidly as possibleover muddy trails until we arrived at dusk at the little group ofhouses known as Bois Lacombe, where we were cordially received by afriendly old man and were given a tiny little house that had barelyroom for our three cots side by side. The elevation there was 925meters.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 5At dawn the following day we were awakened by the songs of a greatmultitude of gray robins. Two pack animals were exhausted andwere left behind in the care of a native, while their burdens were takenby porters. These arrangements took so much time that it was after11 o'clock before we were moving through pleasant sunshine down tothree crossings of the Riviere des Roseaux (pi. 1), w^here the fordsfollowed ledges of rock along which our animals scrambled hke goatswith narrow escape from slipping into the deeper water at either side.The stream was at 680 meters elevation, and on leaving it we traveledup steep slopes where a multitude of trails led through tangled scrub,causing much discussion among the men as to the proper one to follow,until we were again at 900 meters altitude. Occasional ridges weregrown with pine, but this was not abundant. Gray robins, hone}^-creepers, and an occasional migrant warbler were noted from ourmules. We heard the calls of narrow-billed todies and trogons, andparrots and pigeons were abundant. We remarked on the entireabsence of crows and paroquets. At 3:15 we came to the half dozenhuts marking the settlement of Desbarriere, on a narrow ridge at anelevation of 985 meters. In view of the uncertainty as to what wasahead of us, we stopped here for the night, obtaining the use of a littlehut where we were very comfortable. The steep-sided ridges at thispoint were cultivated, having little natural forest except on the highesthills. Beyond a narrow, pine-covered ridge, opposite our caye, wehad glimpses through driving clouds of fog of the huge bulk of thePic de Macaya (pi. 2), its forest-covered slopes appearing dark andmysterious through the shifting veil of mist, which finally closed intoa blank wall of cloud and spread across to where we ourselves werestanding.The following morning, April 1 1 , we awoke to a drizzling rain thatmade the clay soil of the steep trails slippery and treacherous. Finallythe sun appeared, and in due time we were under way; we climbedwith difficulty to the summit of a hill at 1,090 meters elevation, con-tinued across these high slopes to Amiel, and descended finally to theRiviere Anglais, where at the little group of cayes called La CourZ'Anglais w^e came to the end of trails that mules could travel. Wecamped here in a box canyon beside the stream at an elevation ofonly 565 meters. The following morning it was necessary to secureporters to continue our journey, which occasioned some difficulty, as,though arrangements had been made at Desbarriere for a number ofmen, they appeared under the leadership of a wily old gentleman whodemanded an exhorbitant price for their services which we refused topay. It was afternoon before we w^ere finally on our way with part ofour outfit, leaving the rest in storage at La Cour Z'Anglais.Rain began to fall as w^e started, and we climbed with difficulty overnarrow trails that led up and down through coffee plantations, little
6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82
fields, and tracts of forest over a series of ridges whose slopes in placeswere almost precipitious. Rain fell steadily. Our train of portersgradually separated, because of differences in weight in loads carriedand the capabilities of the individual men for this kind of travel.Darkness overtook us on the mountain slope, and we found shelter ina small caye where we spent the night, sitting over a little fire, brewingtea, and sleeping as we could. The following morning, April 13, wereached our objective at the little group of three huts called CayeGodet, the last human habitation on the higher slopes of the Pic deMacaya (pi. 2). At 1,275 meters at the edge of the rain forest wedug out a little level space and pitched our tent. Below us themountain descended steeply into a deep valley with slopes cultivatedin bananas, sweetpotatoes, coffee?grown without shade because of thealmost continuously clouded sky?and other crops. Across rose thesteep pitches of La Grande Colline, called locally Changelange, andahead we had a glimpse of the forested slopes of Pic du Formon, thethird of the peaks of La Hotte. La Grande Colline had an extensivestand of pine, while rain forest covered Formon.Above our camp on Macaya, rain forest extended to 1,800 meterselevation, where it was replaced by a stand of tremendous pines 4 to6 feet in diameter, their lower limbs cloaked in moss and epiphytes,and the ground beneath covered with dense growths of drippingbracken.From Caye Godet a trail extended to the lower edge of the forest,and it was practicable to follow the crest of a narrow ridge to thesummit of the mountain. The peak extended in a general east andwest direction, with a very narrow plateau at the summit. To1,950 meters elevation the ascent was very steep and difficult, butbeyond was a more gently sloping shoulder leading to the narrowplateau mentioned at 2,120 meters, rising slightly liigher toward thewest. Limestone was exposed at the altitude last named. Thisupper portion of the trail had been opened by Haitian engineers of theTravaux Publique, but at the time of our visit signs of their passagehad been almost obliterated. Since the summit had at some timebeen swept by fire, in some years there must be a reduction in precipi-tation. We climbed to the summit on April 17, worked halfwayalong the elevated ridge, and on April 20 ascended again to theeastern end. Because of the dense growth collecting and observationwere difficult, and on the whole the mountain was less interestingthan the high ridge of La Selle, visited by Wetmore in 1927.Rain fell daily, and heavy mists covered the mountain slopes for thegreater part of the time. Mr. Parish left for the coast on April 15,accompanied by Dejour, and on April 22, with our observations com-pleted, we broke camp and transported our outfit by porters to LaCour Z'Anglais, where we arrived about noon. We had expected to
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 7
continue farther, but heavy rain made it inexpedient to attempt thesteep climb out of tliis valley, and we remained until the following day.At noon on April 23 the last of the outfit reached Amiel, and we con-tinued to the north of Desbarriere over trails that alternated in liquidmud and rock. That night we camped at Bois Lacombe, and con-tinued on April 24 through Les Caves to Les Glaces, where we madecamp above the crossing of the stream. On April 25 we reached PostAvance, and the following noon were at Camp Perrin, where we trans-ferred our outfit to a decrepit motor truck and continued to AuxCayes.On April 27, through the courtesy of Lieut. Charles Klein, in com-mand of the Garde d'Haiti at Aux Cayes, we were given the use of alaunch, and in it we crossed to lie a Vache, where we made camp backof the sandy beach of the little land-locked harbor of Feret Bay (pi. 3).After the muddy trails of La Hotte it was a welcome sensation to beclean and dry and to walk about on level ground.Rolling hills rising 25 to 30 meters cover the western half of theisland, while the eastern portion is low and swampy. The coast isirregular, with low cliffs exposed at the headlands and several smallbays having sandy beaches. Though much of the island is cultivated,there were numerous tracts of scrub and low forest. Small birds werecommon, and we were interested to note the presence of Cape Maywarblers, barn swallows, and other North American migrants. OnApril 30, S. W. Parish joined us again. On May 1, we returned toAux Cayes, and continued by automobile to Port-au-Prince, arrivinglate in the evening.On May 5 we went by motor to Jacmel, making collections atseveral points. The Trouin Valley, through which the road crosses,is of interest as marking the western limit of the Massif de La Selle.On May 6 we left by automobile for the Dominican Republic,crossing by way of Las Cahobes and Belladere over a road made diffi-cult by heavy rains. At Comendador, through personal letters fromGen. Rafael Trujillo, President of the Dominican Republic, we werecourteously received. We continued to San Juan, where we spent thenight, and on the next day we followed the main highway east to nearAzua, and then turned off for Barahona, entering a dry, desert sectiongrown with a variety of cacti and other desert plants that proved sointeresting that it was late in the afternoon before we came down overthe rough road through the hills into the canefields filling the valleyof the Rio Yaque del Sur. At Barahona, Frank Warmoth, managerfor the Barahona Co., devoted to the production of sugar, and hisassistants, John L. Segall and George Hamor, received us most hos-pitably and assisted in obtaining a boat for a journey to Beata Island.On May 9 we collected south of Barahona at La Cienaga, 15 kilometersdistant, where we found considerable growth of forest. At 7 o'clock
8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82that evening we left Barahona on the Rosita, a 10-ton single-mastedsailboat carrying two jibs, with a crew of three men. With a favorablewind we reached the island of Beata about 1 p.m. on May 10. Thelittle cove at Ocrik on the northern side of the island had a sandybeach above which stood two small houses. Don Eduardo Echevaria,in charge of the salt works, not now in operation, received us hospita-bly and gave us a room in one of his houses, a welcome that was muchappreciated, as the intense sun would have made living in a tent almostunbearable. Beata Island is low and has a slightly undulating surfacecomposed of a mass of limestone much eaten by erosion, so that theground is rough and broken. Thorn-covered trees, bushes, and vinesgrew from scanty soil accumulated in crevices in the rock, and withabundant cacti formed a jungle so dense that it was to be penetratedfor any distance only along trails cut laboriously into the interior. Ina few places there was a thin covering of soil, but over most of theisland the bare rock was exposed. The coast was bare and open, withstretches of sandy beach alternating with low, rocky headlands.Though the West Indies Pilot gives an elevation of 100 meters, thehighest points we observed were not more than 35 meters.Our field work was carried on principally early in the morning, asby 11 o'clock the blazing sun beating down on the island made anyphysical exertion arduous, and even in the earlier part of the daythe heat was at times most oppressive. Snakes were fairly common,and lizards abounded, some of those taken proving new to science, asdid also several forms of land shells that we collected. Within 15minutes after leaving camp on our first morning afield we obtained aform of Microligea that was recognized instantly as being unknown.On May 14 we went out in the boat to five isolated limestone rockslying in a semicircle 2 to 5 kilometers offshore. Three of these were30 to 45 meters long by 15 meters wide, elevated 6 to 12 meters abovethe sea. Bridled terns and noddies nested there, and we found a fewboobies.We left Beata Island about 5 p.m. on May 15, but on account ofcalms and headwinds did not reach Barahona until 2 a.m. on May 18.On May 19 we started for Haiti, stopping 6 kilometers north ofHabanero, beyond the Rio Yaque del Sur, to collect in the cactus-grown desert (pi. 4). That night we were in San Juan, DominicanRepublic, and on the following morning. May 20, crossed into Haiti,pausing in the rolling plains area east of Las Cahobes to collect a smallseries of grasshopper sparrows. We arrived in Port-au-Prince thatevening.On May 20 we collected in the region of Thomazeau, visiting SourceCaiman and getting a view of the shore of the Etang Saumatre (pi. 6),with a flock of flamingos standing in the shallow water. The greatswamp at Trou Caiman was entirely dry. The following day we
J.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PROCEEDINGS. VOL. 82, .ART. 25
View across sisal Fields toward Morne des Mammelles.Near Terrier Rouge. H^iiti. March 30. 1931.
Crossing the Riviere des Roseaux.Below Bois Lacombe, Haiti, April 10, 1931.
U S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PROCEEDINGS. VOL. 82. ART. 25 PL. 2
Near Base of Pic de Macaya.From Desbarriere, Haiti, April 11, 1931.
Huts at Caye Godet.On Pic de Macaya, Haiti, April 21, 1931.
U.S. National Museum Proceedings, vol 82. art. 25 pl. 3
Feret Bayile :i Vache. Haiti. Ainil 29, 1931.
Bay at Western End of Tle a Vache.Haiti, April 30, 1931
U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PROCEEDINGS, VOL. 32, ART. 25 PL
Rio Yaque del SUR.At Boca del Baos, Dominican Republic, May 19, 1931.
Desert Vegetation.Between Barahona and Azua, Dominican Republic, May 19, 1931.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 9
visited a region of stony slopes 5 Idlometers west of L'Arcahaie, whichcompleted our work in the field, as rains had been steadily increasinguntil the roads out of Port-au-Prince became impassable. We sailedfor New York on the S.S. Ancon on May 27.THE AVIFAUNA OF LA HOTTEThe only ornithological work in the La Hotte area prior to our visitwas that of R. H. Beck, who traveled in the interest of the AmericanMuseum of Natural History. His itinerary, taken from his manu-script journals, available through the kindness of Dr. F. M. Chapmanand Dr. R. C. Murphy, is as follows:On June 15, 1917, Beck came to Les Anglais, and on June 18 pro-ceeded inland up steep slopes where he found coffee growing to 1,200meters. He camped at the last available water above the highestnative hut. Beyond there were no trails, and progress was impededby trees blown down by a recent hurricane. On the following dayhe cut a trail to the top of a long ridge leading toward a high peak andcontinued until he came to two pines. On returning to his camp atnoon he found that his men had deserted him. On June 21 he movedto another site and on the following day cut a trail to near the levelof pines. On June 24 he again climbed to the summit of the ridgenear the base of the peak, returning June 26 to Port a Piment. OnJuly 1 he went again inland, and on July 4 cut another trail along theridges toward the high peak.From the fact that Beck came into this region from Les Anglaisand Port a Piment, it is evident that his collections were made on theslopes of La Grande Colline. From his specimens Wetmore describedCalyptophilus tertius tertius, the only bird now known to be peculiar tothis region.From the viewpoint of its avifauna on the basis of somewhat limitedpresent knowledge. La Hotte is rather disappointing, as its interestcomes principally from those forms that do not occur. Among thebirds peculiar to the higher mountains of the island we found onlyChapman's ground warbler {Microligea montana), the Hispaniolanelaenia (Elaenea albicapilla), and Sclater's swallow {Lamprochelidonsdateri). The paroquet was not observed, though parrots werecommon, and the Hispaniolan ground warbler {Microligea palustrispalustris) was absent. It would appear that the region has been oneof isolation to which certain widespread forms have not penetrated,in most cases probably because of the dense rain forest that has notallowed the proper environment. Isolation is, however, the onlyexplanation to be given for the absence of Microligea palustris palustrisas the entire section is well suited to the needs of this form.The foregoing remarks must not be construed to indicate that thisdifficult mountain region is barren ornithologically. The abundance
10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82
of solitaries, the sharp-shinned hawks of its forests, the swallows andswifts that play over the mountain slopes, and the variety of otherbirds that are constantly about are of perennial and never-failinginterest. The little observation that has been carried on there hasbeen on Macaya and La Grande Colline. In addition to furtherinvestigations of the birds of these mountains there still remain thedark forests of Formon, known at present scientifically only to thebotanists Ekman and Barker, who cut a trail to the summit and therecollected plants. THE BIRDS OF ILE A VACHElie a Vache, between 10 and 12 kilometers distant from the mainshore, opposite the town of Aux Cayes, is about 12 kilometers long by5 or a little more wide. The shoreline is irregular, being cut by severalbays. The western end is elevated and rolling, with low hills, partlycultivated and partly in scrub, none of the tracts of forest beingextensive. The eastern section is low and swampy and has not beencarefully investigated. There are no doubt several swamp-lovingbirds still to be reported from this area. The Parish-SmithsonianExpedition of 1930 made the first collections on this island, theirstudies ^ being so interesting as to make it desirable to do further work.Our stay was productive, adding a number of forms to the previouslyknown list.The bullfinch {Loxigilla violacea parishi) and the palm tanager(Phaenicophilus poliocephalus tetraopes) are peculiar, differing slightlyfrom those of the main island. In view of the proper ecologic condi-tions that exist, it is curious to note the absence of such species astodies, woodpeckers, and palm-chats, to mention only a few amongthe forms endemic on the main island so closely adjacent. Theknown bird Ust now totals 54 forms, as follows:Antillean grebe Podilymbus podiceps antillarum.Yellow-billed tropic-bird Phaethon lepturus cateshyi.West Indian brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis occidentalis.Frigate-bird Fregata magnijicens rothschildi.Louisiana heron Hydranassa tricolor ruficollis.Little blue heron Florida caerulea caerulescens.West Indian green heron Butorides virescens maculatus.Yellow-crowned night heron Nydanassa violacea violacea.West Indian tree-duck Dendrocygna arborca.West Indian red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis jamaicensis.Ridgway's hawk Buieo ridgwayi.Osprey Pandion haliaetus carolinensis.Hispaniolan sparrow hawk Falco sparverius dominicensis
.
Hispaniolan clapper rail Rallus longirostris vafer.Antillean gallinule Gallinula chloropus portoricensis
.
1 Wetmore, A., Birds collected in Cuba and Haiti by the Parish-Smithsonian Expedition of 1930. Proc.U.S.Nat. Mus., vol. 81, art. 2, July 22, 1932, pp. 1-40; pis. 1-7.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIKDS?WETMOKE AND LINCOLN 11Spotted sandpiper Adilis macularia.Black-necked stilt Himanlopus mexicanus.Laughing gull Larus atricilla.White-crowned pigeon Columha leucocephala.Zenaida dove Zenaida zenaida zenaida.West Indian mourning dove Zenaidura macroura macroura.White-winged dove Melopelia asiatica asiaiica.Cuban ground-dove Columbigallina passerina insularis.Mangrove cuckoo Coccyzus minor teres.Ani Crotophaga ani.Palm swift Tachornis phoenicobia phoenicobia.Hispaniolan vervain hummingbird Mellisuga minima veilloii.Hispaniolan mango hummingbird Anlhracothorax dominicus.Gray kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis dominicensis.Hispaniolan flycatcher Myiarchus dominicensis.Bank swallow Riparia riparia riparia.Barn swallow Hirundo erythrogaster.Hispaniolan cliff swallow Petrochelidon fidva fulva.Caribbean martin Progne dominicensis.Hispaniolan mockingbird Mimus polyglottos dominicus.Jamaican vireo Vireo olivaceus olivaceus.Black-whiskered vireo Vireo olivaceus barbaiula.Hispaniolan honey-creeper Coereba bananivora bananivora.Black and white warbler Mnioiilta varia.Hispaniolan golden warbler Dendroica petechia albicollis.Cape May warbler Dendroica tigrina.Yellow-throated warbler Dendroica dominica dominica.Northern prairie warbler Dendroica discolor discolor.Black-poll warbler Dendroica striata.Black-throated green warbler Dendroica virens virens.Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus aurocapillus.Northern water-thrush Seiurus noveboracensis noveboracensis.Northern yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas brachidactyla.Redstart Setophaga ruticilla.Hispaniolan grackle Holoquiscalus niger niger.lie a Vache palm tanager Phaenicophilus poliocephalus ietraopes.Yellow-faced grassquit Tiaris olivacea olivacea.March's grassquit Tiaris bicolor marchii.Parish's bullfinch Loxigilla violacea parishi.BIRDS OF BEATA ISLANDBeata Island is located off the extreme southern end of the BarahonaPeninsula, separated by a distance of 10 kilometers from the nearestpoint of the main island. The intervening channel is only 2% fathoms(4.9 meters) deep in the center. Five fiat-topped rocks of the sameformation as the island project in a semicircle off the northern coast.It is evident that Beata has had close connection with the adjacentshore, though probably it has been separated for many thousands ofyears. The island is about 8 kilometers long by 7 kilometers broad,and according to the West Indies Pilot has a maximum elevation of100 meters. From our personal observation we believe that there is
12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82some error in tliis, as in the northern half of the island the maximumaltitude is less than 50 meters. From tree tops at the farthest pointto which we penetrated we had a view of the entire island, and in theslightly undulating expanse of scrub that extended beyond our obser-vation post we saw nothing to indicate a greater elevation, as theterrain rose only slightly in low, rolling ridges.The island is of limestone formation (pi. 5) with the surface, thoughgenerally level, much eroded, so that the stone projects in smallsharp-edged points that cut one's shoes badly. Along the northcoast, projecting headlands, whose rocky points rise only a shortspace above the sea, alternate with sandy beaches back of which thereare small, saline lagoons and areas of grass. Inland there is a solidstand of scrub growing from 3 to 10 meters tall, only occasional treesbeing of large diameter (pi. 5). There is much cactus, and many ofthe shrubs are so thorn covered that it is difficult to penetrate theinterior except along two trails that have been cut recently, one ofwhich leads a little more than halfway across the island. Certainareas have considerable soil, but over extensive sections the scrubgrows from holes in the rocky surface. There are occasional smallsavannas in the interior grown with grass, 4 or 5 acres in extent.Water holes produce only brackish water.Along the coast the wind-swept vegetation is low and stunted, sothat it was possible to pick a way through, with some trouble, as therock in places was much broken. The sea had undercut many ledges.Deep potholes were common, and it was necessary to walk circum-spectly to avoid falling on the eroded stone.Toward the center of the island the amount of visible soil is decidedlyless than near the coast, and there are extensive sections of limestoneentirely exposed. The scrub inland was lower and more thorny, andmany slender-trunlvcd palms with globular heads grew 10 meters ormore in height, rising above the general tree level. Scattered WestIndian birches {Elaphrium) with heavy trunks and limbs bulked largein the other growth.So far as we have ascertained, the first collections in natural historyto be made here were obtained by Dr. G. K. Noble, of the AmericanMuseum of Natural History, who worked here from October 1 to 4,1922. From his material he described four new forms of reptiles.Dr. E. Ciferri visited Beata briefly in May 1926, devoting his attentionprincipally to plants, but securing a few birds, among them being abooby that lived in captivity for some time.During our observations we obtained a list of 50 forms of birds,which we believe includes the principal species of the island, and willbe extended mainly through record of additional forms of herons andothers of aquatic habit about the lagoons, and of wood warblers andother migrants from North America. One wood warbler {Micro-
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIKDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 13ligea palustris vasta) we have described as new. This bird, inapparently the same form, extends through the arid scrubs of theadjacent Dominican coast, as we have specimens that we cannotdistinguish from the Beata group from Trujin and Habanero. Thebullfinch of Beata is smaller than that of the main island, and cannotbe separated so far as we can ascertain from Loxigilla violacea parishiof lie a Vache. We have identified it therefore as of that race.The pearly-eyed thrasher (Margarops fuscatus fuscatus) abundant onBeata, is not known elsewhere in Hispaniola, though it occurs onMona and Desecheo Islands, between the Dominican Republic andPuerto Rico. The presence of the burrowing owl is also worthy ofcomment. It will be noted that todies, parrots, lizard-cuckoos, wood-peckers, palm-chats, and various other birds peculiar to Hispaniola,were not obtained on Beata.Following is the known list of the birds of the island:Audubon's shearwater Puffinus Iherminieri Iherminieri.Yellow-billed tropic-bird Phaethon lepturus catesbyi.West Indian brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis occidentalis.Brown booby Sula leucogastra leucogastra.Frigate-bird Fregata magnificens rothschildi.Egret Casmerodius albus egreita.Louisiana heron Hydranassa tricolor riificollis.West Indian green heron Butorides virescens maculatus.Yellow-crowned night heron Nydanassa violacea violacea.Flamingo Phoenicopteriis ruber.Bahama pintail Dafila bahamensis bahamensis.West Indian red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis jamaicensis.Ridgway 's hawk Buleo ridgwayi.Semipalmated plover Charadrius semipalmatus.Rufous-naped plover Pagolla wilsonia rufinucha.American black-bellied plover Sqitatarola squatarola cynosurae.Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres morinella.Eastern willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus semipal-matus.Least sandpiper Pisobia minutilla.Pectoral sandpii^er Pisobia melanotos.White-rumped sandpiper Pisobia fuscicollis.Semipalmated sandpiper Ereunefes pusillus.Sanderling Crocethia alba.Black-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanus.Laughing gull Larus atricilla.Gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica aranea.Roseate tern Sterna dougallii dougallii.American bridled tern Sterna anaetheta recognita.Sooty tern Sterna fuscata fuscata.Least tern Sterna albifrons antillarum.Royal tern Thalasseus maximus niaximus.Cabot's tern Thalasseus sandvicensis acuflavidus.Noddy tern Anoiis stolidus stolidtcs.White-crowned pigeon Columba leucocephala.
14 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Zenaida dove Zenaida zenaida zenaida.Cuban ground-dove Columhiqallina passerina insularis.Yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus americanus.Hispaniolan burrowing owl Speotyto cunicularia troglodytes.Palm swift Tachornis phoenicobia phoenicobia.Hispaniolan mango hummingbird Anthracothorax dominicus.Belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon alcyon.Gray kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis dominicensis.Hispaniolan flycatcher Myiarchus dominicensis.Barn swallow Hirundo erythrogaster
.
Pearly-eyed thrasher Margarops fuscatus fuscatus.Jamaican vireo Vireo olivaceus olivaceus.Hispaniolan honey-creeper Coereba bananivora bananivora.Beata ground warbler Microligea palustris vasta.Hispaniolan grackle Holoquiscalus niger niger.Parish's bullfinch Loxigilla violacea parishi.THE LIST OF HISPANIOLAN BIRDSFrom our collections we have described two new forms, thelie a Vache tanager {Phaenicophilus poliocephalus tetraopes) and theBeata warbler {Microligea palustris vasta). In addition our recordsinclude the first report of the wliite-rumped sandpiper. Theseincrease the known bird list for Hispaniola and its island dependenciesto 222 forms, including the Hudsonian godwit collected by Ciferri inthe Dominican Kepublic.A^CKNOWLEDGMENTSThe success of our work has been due in large measure to friendlyassistance that we received in many quarters. The Americanminister, Dr. Dana G. Munro, was most courteous and considerate,and with members of his staff gave freely of time and information.On our arrival in Port-au-Prince we were met by a representative ofCaptain Davis, captain of the port, who had arranged to pass ourequipment through customs. Col. R. M. Cutts, in command ofthe Marine forces, was personally interested in our investigations,assisting through means that otherwise would not have been available.Through Colonel Cutts, and Maj. J. E. Davis, in charge of the MarineCorps Air Service, an aerial reconnaissance of the La Hotte regionwas possible, a journey that was accomplished with Sergt. R. A.Trevelyan as pilot.Through Dr. Munro we met the President of Haiti, M. StenioVincent. By direction of General WilHams, in command of theGarde d'Haiti, and his assistant Maj. O. P. Smith, we obtainednecessary permits for our firearms, and to other friends in thatservice we are indebted for many courtesies. We desire to mentionparticularly assistance received from Lieut. Charles Klein of AuxCayes in arrangements for our trip to lie a Vache.
' See Auk, vol. 48, 1931, p. 596.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 15Dr. Carl Colvin, acting director of the Service Technique, a friendof long standing, and Commander G. A. Duncan, of the TravauxPublique, gave much valued aid.In our work in the Dominican Republic, we have, first of all, toacknowledge the interest of Gen. Rafael TrujUlo, President of theRepublic, who personally issued us permits for our firearms and gaveus letters that were passports in our entry into the Republic and inour travel there subsequently; without this authority our work wouldnot have been possible. At Barahona we were received with thegreatest courtesy by Frank Warmoth, in charge of the establishmentof the Barahona Co., and by his assistants John L. Segall and GeorgeHamor, who entertained us during our brief stay in Barahona andassisted in arrangements for our trip to Beata.Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Parish, friends who met us on our arrival inPort-au-Prince, were interested in all details of our investigations.In Mr. Parish on several expeditions we had a companion whoseassistance was most valuable and who shared with us the vicissitudesof difficult travel with never-failing good nature.Finally we must acknowledge our indebtedness to many friendsand acquaintances in both Republics who gave Idndly aid in thepeculiar work of two strangers from a foreign land.ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDSOrder COLYMBIFORMESFamily COLYMBIDAE, GrebesPODILYMBUS PODICEPS ANTILLARUM BangsAntillean GrebePodilymbus podiceps antillarum Bangs, Proc. New England Zool. Club, vol. 4,Mar. 31, 1913, p. 89 (Bueycito, Province of Orients, Cuba).On March 31, 1931, half a dozen grebes were seen on the RiviereEstere, near Pont de I'Estere. It is interesting to note that Des-courtilz^ reported this species as common near this same point inApril, 1799. Order PROCELLARIIFORMESFamily PROCELLARIIDAE, Shearwaters, Fulmars, and PetrelsPUFFINUS LHERMINIERI LHERMINIERI LessonAudubon's ShearwaterPuffinus Iherminieri Lesson, Rev. Zool., vol. 2, 1839, p. 102 ("ad ripas antil-larum").In the morning of May 10, 1931, three shearwaters came near oursloop when we were 5 or 6 kilometers northeast of Beata Island, and
3 Voyages d'un naturaliste, et ses observations, vol. 2, 1809, p. 264.
16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82
since they flew past several times there can be no mistake as to theiridentity. Three or four more were observed at daybreak on May 16,when we were offshore a short distance below Cabo Mongon on thesoutheastern coast of the Barahona Peniusula. We made carefulsearch for these birds among the stones of the northern headlands ofBeata and also on offshore rocks but failed to find them. It is quiteprobable that there is a colony on Alta Vela Island, as the birds seencame from the southward. The records are of particular interest inview of the little that is known concerning this species in this area.It may be further noted that Audubon's shearwater was recordedon March 21 near Watlings and Fortune Islands, and again on May28 opposite Great Inagua, in the Bahamas.Order PELECANIFORMESFamily PHAETHONTIDAE, Tropic-birdsPHAETHON LEPTURUS CATESBYI BrandtYellow-billed Tropic-birdPhaethon Catesbyi Brandt, Bull. Sci. I'Acad. Imp. Sci. St. P6tersbourg, vol. 4,1838, p. 98 (Bermuda).About the rocky headlands of lie a Vache tropic-birds were ob-served from April 28 to 30, particularly at one point on the westernend of the island. It appeared that they were preparing to nest increvices in the rocks, but we could discover no eggs. Several timesthey were observed flying in pairs over the sea, and single birds orUttle groups returned constantly to hover before the cliffs. Twoadult females were collected on April 30. A few were seen aboutRaquette Cay at the eastern side of the entrance to Feret Bay. TheHaitian fishermen called this bird gannet.On May 10, along the eastern coast of the Barahona Peninsula,tropic-birds were recorded flying about rocky headlands betweenParadis and Enriquillo. One was observed on May 14 at BeataIsland. Family PELECANIDAE, PelicansPELECANUS OCCIDENTALIS OCCIDENTALIS LinnaeusWest Indian Brown PelicanPelecanus Onocrotalus /3 occidentalis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766,p. 215 (Jamaica).One pelican was seen in the harbor at Port-au-Prince on March22, two were observed over old Fort La Bouque at the entrance toFort Liberte Bay on March 29, and another in the bay at TerrierRouge, Haiti, on March 30. Around lie k Vache they were fairlycommon from April 28 to 30. At Ocrik on the north shore of Beata
U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PRCCEEDINGS, VOL. 82, ART. 25 PL. 5
tSARE LIMESTONE iHORE.Beafa Island, Doniiniean Republic. May 12, WM.
Low Forest.Beata Island, Dominican Republic, May 15, 1931.
U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM PROCEEDINGS, VOL. 82. ART. 25 PL. 6
Rolling Upland.Near Las Cahobes. Haiti, May 20, 1931.
The etang saumatre.Near Glore, Haiti, May 22, 1931.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIEDS?WETMOKE AND LINCOLN 17Island they were common from May 10 to 15 and fished steadily allday long in the schools of sardines within 50 yards of our door. Weobserved fully grown immature individuals with gray heads, adultswith white crowns and necks, and numerous adults with the chestnut-brown necks of the breeding dress. We were told that they nestedon the eastern shore of Beata.Several were seen at Puerto Caiman below Enriquillo on May 16,and others were noted in the harbor at Barahona on May 7, 18,and 19. Family SULIDAE, Gannets and BoobiesSULA LEUCOGASTBA LEUCOGASTRA (Boddaert)Brown BoobtPelecanus leucogaster Boddaert, Table Planches EnL, 1783, p. 57 (Cayenne).On May 14 about 20 brown boobies were observed resting on iso-lated rocks 2 kilometers or more offshore from Beata Island, andtwo were taken, one being adult and the other still partly in immaturedress. On May 16 a few were observed at sea between Beata andPuerto Caiman. This species is said to breed on Alta Vela Island.This booby was also recorded on March 21 at sea near WatlingsIsland, in the Bahamas.Family FREGATIDAE, Man-o'-war BirdsFREGATA MAGNIFICENS ROTHSCHILDI MathewsFrigate-birdFregata minor rothschildi Mathews, The birds of Australia, vol. 4, pt. 3, June 23,1915, p. 280 (Aruba).At lie a Vache from April 27 to 30 frigate-birds were seen regularlyabout Raquette Cay near the eastern side of the entrance to FeretBay. One was observed at Beata Island on May 11, one at seabetween Beata and Puerto Caiman on May 16, and one offshorefrom Paradis on May 17.In earlier work on the birds of the West Indies, Wetmore ^" followedRothschild in calling the West Indian bird Fregata magnificens, sincebirds from the Caribbean area appeared the same as the only twoavailable from the west coast (La Paz and Mazatlan). Recently,Swarth ^* has investigated this matter and finds that typical magni-ficens of the Galapagos Islands seems distinct in larger size, and thatspecimens of the rnagnificens group from the west coast of Mexicoand Lower California are the same as those from the West Indies.The latter are thus to be called Fregata magnificens rothschildi.
'" The birds of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands,vol. 9, pt. 3, 1927, p. 287.3i> Condor, vol. 35, no. 3, 1933, pp. 148-150.172294?33 2
18 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Order CICONIIFORMESFamily ARDEIDAE, Herons and BitternsARDEA HERODIAS ADOXA OberholserWest Indian Great Blue HeronArdea herodias adoxa Oberholser, Proc.U.S.Nat.Mus., vol. 43, Dec. 12, 1912,p. 544 (Curasao Island).One of these herons was seen on March 30 on the bay at the FondBlanc plantation near Terrier Rouge, Haiti, and another on May 9near Barahona, Dominican Republic.CASMERODIUS ALBUS EGRETTA (Gmelin)EgretArdea Egretta Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 629 (Cayenne).One egret was seen near our camp on Beata Island on May 11,and one was observed in a marshy pasture near Thomazeau, Haiti,on May 22. HYDRANASSA TRICOLOR RUFICOLLIS (Gosse)Louisiana HeronEgretta ruficollis Gosse, Birds of Jamaica, 1847, p. 338 (Burnt Savanna River,Jamaica)
.
This heron was observed at Cap-Haitien, Haiti, on March 26, andat Beata Island, Dominican RepubUc, on May 12 and 15.FLORroA CAERULEA CAERULESCENS (Latham)Little Blue HeronArdea caerulescens Latham, Index Orn., vol. 2, 1790, p. 690 (Cayenne).Individuals were seen near Cap-Haitien on March 26, TerrierRouge on March 29, lie a Vache on April 29, and near St. Louis onApril 30. BUTORIDES VIRESCENS MACULATUS (Boddacrt)West Indian Green HeronCancroma maculata Boddaert, Table Planches Enl., 1783, p. 54 (Martinique,Lesser Antilles).Following are records for this widely distributed form: Cap-Haitien,Haiti, March 26; crossing of the Roseaux River, below Bois LacombeApril 10 and 23 ; lie a Vache, April 27 to 30; Jacmel, May 5; San Juan,Dominican Republic, May 6; Barahona, May 9; Beata Island, May13 and 15; Comendador, May 20; Thomazeau, Haiti, May 22;L'Arcahaie, May 23.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 19NYCTANASSA VIOLACEA VIOLACEA (Linnaeus)Yellow-crowned Night HeronArdea violacea Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 143 (South Carolina).On lie a Vache from April 28 to 30 several yellow-crowned nightherons were seen, and one night after dark one came stalking downthe beach past our camp. On Beata Island, the species was fairlycommon from May 11 to 15, being noted usually in evening in flightover the lagoons or along the coast.Family PHOENICOPTERIDAE, FlamingosPHOENICOPTERUS RUBER LinnaeusFlamingoPhoenicopterus ruber Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 139 (Jamaica,Cuba, and Bahamas).On our landing at Beata Island on May 10, we were told that fla-mingos came to the lagoons back of the little house where we had ourquarters and, after establishing our camp, on walking out in theevening we were delighted to see three stalking about in shallowwater. The birds were observed here until our departure, comingand going irregularly during the day but apparently returning eachnight to sleep. Their tameness was a sufficient index to the remote-ness of their island from the usual haunts of man, as it was a simplematter to approach the birds in the open, and when they flew theyusually circled past us, at times within 30 yards' distance. We didnot disturb them though it would have been easy to collect speci-mens. On the evening of May 15 at sunset, as we lay at anchoroffshore from the tip of the Barahona Peninsula opposite Beata, nineflamingos flew slowly past with the evening light displaying theirbeautiful plumage to particular advantage. The sailors on our sloopsaid that the birds were common all through this section.On the shores of the fitang Saumatre, beyond Thomazeau, Haiti,on May 23, we observed 25 flamingos feeding in a long line in shalloww^ater. Aviators in the Marine Corps told us that they saw the birdshere regularly in passing by air.Order ANSERIFORMESFamily ANATIDAE, Ducks, Geese, and SwansDAFILA BAHAMENSIS BAHAMENSIS (Linnaeus)Bahama PintailAnas bahamensis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 124 (Bahamas).Four pintails were seen in saline lagoons on Beata Island on May 15.At Barahona, May 19, we examined one in cold storage that hadbeen killed by George Hamor a month or six weeks previous at a
20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82lagoon beyond Cabral. From all accounts this is one of the commonducks of that area. NYROCA AFFINIS (Eyton)Lesser Scaup DuckFuligula affinis Eyton, A monograph on the Anatidae or duck tribe, 1838, p. 157(North America).At Baraliona, Dominican Republic, on May 19, we examined thebody of one of these ducks in cold storage that had been killed amonth or six weeks previous by George Hamor on a lagoon west ofCabral.Mr. Hamor reports that ducks abound during the season of northernwinter in the various lagoons and marshes of the area in question.In some years the birds begin to congregate there about the end ofNovember but ordinarily the period of their greatest abundance comesin January and February. Several species are found of which a part,perhaps the larger part, are certainly migrants from North America.These include the lesser scaup; birds that Mr. Hamor beUeves to bepintails; the blue-winged teal; and probably others. The tree-duck,possibly including occasional individuals of a species other than theWest Indian tree-duck {Dendrocygna arborea), the ruddy duck, andthe Bahama pintail are included among species that breed in thisregion. From the large number of birds that congregate here, itappears that it will be important to investigate the matter, to determinethe North American species involved and their relative abundance.Order FALCONIFORMESFamily ACCIPITRIDAE, Hawks and EaglesACCIPITER STRIATUS STRIATUS YieUlotHisPANioLAN Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus Vieillot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Am6r. Sept., vol. 1, 1807, p. 42, pi. 14(Haiti).This species was encoimtered only in the general region of La Hotteon the Tiburon Peninsula. On AprU 11, at Desbarriere, a pair flewhigh above the most elevated ridges, circling with set wings, orpursuing each other playfully. On AprU 16, at an elevation of 1,650meters on Pic de Macaya, we collected a mated pair in heavy rainforest. In habits and actions they were exactly hke the North Ameri-can sharpshin. They rested among leafy branches, betraying theirpresence by a plaintive note, rapidly repeated, resembling kew kewkew kew, and were decoyed readily within gun range by squeaking.At Geffrard, on April 25, a female and two males circled together inthe air above the forest.Discrepancy in size in the two sexes makes it a simple matter todistinguish males and females when the two are seen together.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 21BUTEO JAMAICENSIS JAMAICENSIS (Graelin)West Indian Red-tailed HawkFalco jamaicensis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 1, 1788, p. 266 (Jamaica).This hawk was recorded at Kenskoff on March 22, and at TerrierRouge on March 27. In the La Hotte region it was fairly common,though its abundance was difficult to ascertain because of the heavyforest. In this area it was noted at Donte, April 7; Bois Lacombe,April 10 and 24; and near La Cour Z'Anglais, April 12, 22, and 23.On the slopes of Pic de Macaya it was recorded regularly fromApril 14 to 21. Individuals were observed on lie a Vache on April 28and 30; one was seen on Beata Island, Dominican Republic, on May15; and one near Habanero, Dominican Republic, on May 19.BUTEO RIDGWAYI (Cory)Ridgwat's HawkRii-pornis ridgwayi Cory, Quart. Journ. Boston Zool. Soc, vol. 2, Oct. 1883, p. 46(Samand, Dominican Republic).The first of these hawks was seen on April 25 circling over heavyrain forest near Geffrard, Haiti. On lie a Vache several wereobserved. On April 28, low, chattering calls brought to attentionone that rested on the edge of a partly completed nest in the top of aroyal palm 10 meters from the ground. Tliis bird was taken andproved to be a female. Two more were seen circling over low hillsduring that same forenoon, one was noted on the following day, andtwo more on April 30. One was observed on Beata Island, DominicanRepublic, on May 11. The notes of this species are higher in pitchthan those of Buteo magnirostris of continental America.PANDION HAUAETUS CAROLINENSIS (Gmelin)OSPREYFalco carolinensis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 1, 1788, p. 273 (South Carolina).One osprey was recorded over the harbor at Port-au-Prince, Haiti,on March 22, and another on lie a Vache on April 29. The latterseems to constitute an unusually late record.Family FALCONIDAE, Falcons and CaracarasFALCO SPARVERIUS DOMINICENSIS GmelinHispaniolan Sparrow HawkFalco dominicensis Gmelin, Sj'st. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 1, 1788, p. 285 (Hispaniola).Sparrow hawks were observed regularly in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince, and their passage frequently caused some commotion amongthe palm-chats. They were recorded at Dessalines on March 25,
22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82
at Trou on March 26, and at Terrier Rouge on March 27 and 30, whereone was observed repeatedly attacking a red-tailed hawk. On April5, near Aquin, one was seen carrying a lizard nearly a foot long. Inthe open, settled region about the base of the La Hotte Mountainsthe sparrow hawk was common, and was recorded at Deron, April 8
;
from Deron to Bois Lacombe, April 9; at Desbarriere, April 10;and from Desbarriere to La Cour Z'Anglais, April IL None wasfound on Pic de Macaya, and the bird does not appear to find hauntsto its liking in rain-forest areas. On our return one was seen above thecrossing of the Roseaux River below Bois Lacombe on April 23, andanother at Geffrard on April 25. On lie a Vache the birds werefairly common, and one was taken on April 29.Sparrow hawks were recorded further at Las Matas, DominicanRepublic, May 6; between San Juan and Barahona, May 7 and 19;and at Barahona, May 19. They were common near Thomazeau,Haiti, May 22, and near L'Arcahaie, May 23. None was observedon Beata Island, though they may occur there locall}^.Order GALLIFORMESFamily NUMIDIDAE, Guinea-fowlNUMIDA GALEATA PallasGuinea HenNumida galeata Pallas, Spicilegia zoologica, vol. 1, fasc. 4, 1767, p. 13 (based ondomesticated bird).Guineas were seen near L'Arcahaie, Haiti, on March 25, and atPont de I'Estere on March 31 two flocks were found feeding in partlyopen fields among scattered growths of mesquite. Wlien flushed,they flew high over the trees. On May 20, one was observed fromthe car on Morne a Cabrits, and on May 23 one was seen near L'Arca-haie. At this season they were reported to be nesting.Order GRUIFORMESFamily ARAMIDAE, LimpkinsARAMUS PICTUS ELUCUS PetersLiMPKINArainiis piclus eliicus Peters, Occ. Pap. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 5, Jan. 30,1925, p. 143 (Sosua, Dominican Republic).One limpkin was observed in a flooded area beyond Damien, Haiti,on May 6. At Barahona, George Hamor described one that hadbeen killed recently near by.
AET. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 23Order CHARADRIIFORMESFamily CHARADRIIDAE, Plovers, Turnstones, and Surf-birdsCHARADRIUS SEMIPALMATUS BonaparteSemipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 5,1825, p. 98 (coast of New Jersey).A single specimen of this plover was observed on March 26, on theshore of a point of land projecting out into the bay at Terrier Rouge,Haiti, while at Beata Island, Dominican Republic, from May 10 to15, a few were seen daily on the glistening beds of the salt lagoons.The largest number noted in one day was eight on May 12.PAGOLLA WILSONIA RUFINUCHA (Ridgway)Rxjfous-naped PloverAEgialitis Wilsonius var. rufinucha Ridgway, Amer. Nat., vol. 8, Feb. 1874, p.109 (Spanishtown, Jamaica).The rufous-naped plover was observed only on Beata Island,Dominican Republic, where we found a few on the salines at thenorth end of the island. They probably were breeding although arather hasty search failed to disclose a nest. One was collected onMay 12.In actions these plovers are like the parent species of the Atlanticand Gulf coasts of North America, preferring to run rather than tofly unless too closely pressed.OXYECHUS VOCIFERUS RUBIDUS RileyWest Indian KilldeerOxyechus vociferns rubidus Riley, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 22, Apr. 17,1909, p. 88 (Santo Domingo^Hispaniola).Killdeers were seen and heard regularly in the moist lowlands ofHaiti and of the Dominican Republic. Several were noted in theregion between Cap-Haitien and Terrier Rouge, March 26 to 30, andas we emerged from the mountains of the Tiburon Peninsula a shortdistance south of Camp Perrin on April 26 one flew ahead of us.This was the highest elevation at which the species was observed.Several were seen in the vicinity of rain-water pools in the mesquitenear San Juan, Dominican Republic, on May 6, and Idlldeers werefairly common between that point and Azua on May 8 and 19. Onewas noted near L'Arcahaie, Haiti, on May 23.
24 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82SQUATAROLA SQUATAROLA CYNOSURAE Thayer and BangsAmerican Black-bellied PlovekSquatarola squatarola cynosiirae Thayer and Bangs, Proc. New England Zool.Club, vol. 5, Apr. 9, 1914, p. 23 (Baillie Island, Arctic America).On May 11, at Ocrik, on the north side of Beata Island, DominicanRepublic, two black-bellied plovers were seen in flight over the saltlagoon. ARENARIA INTERPRES MORINELLA (Linnaeus)Ruddy TurnstoneTringa morinella Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 249 (coast of south-eastern Georgia).The turnstone was first noted on May 9, when two were seen nearLa Cienaga, about 15 Idlometers south of Barahona, DominicanRepublic. They proved to be fairly common around the salt pansand lagoons on Beata Island, May 10 to 15. On the latter date atleast a dozen were seen, mostly in pairs.Family SCOLOPACIDAE, Woodcock, Snipe, and SandpipersACTITIS MACULARIA (Linnaeus)Spotted SandpiperTringa macularia Linnaeus, Sj-st. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 249 (Pennsylvania).We found spotted sandpipers both in the lowlands and in themountains. Observations were made as follows: Two on April 5 ata small lagoon near Aux Cayes, Haiti; one flushed at the crossing ofthe Riviere des Roseaux below Bois Lacombe on April 10; several atlie a Vache on April 28 to 30; two along the bank of the Rio Yaquedel Sur near Boca del Baos, Dominican Republic, on May 8; and oneat Barahona on May 9.CATOPTROPHORUS SEMIPALMATUS SEMIPALMATUS (GmeUn)Eastern WilletScolopax semipalmata Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 659 (New York).One willet was seen at Barahona, Dominican Republic, on May 9,and we found them common and breeding on Beata Island, May 10to 15. Three specimens and a set of four eggs were collected on May12. The birds were observed repeatedly to perch on dead limbs atthe tops of small trees, which served them as lookout posts over theirnesting territory. The nest found was placed among the stems of afleshy-leaved chenopodaceous plant growing on an open saline, andwas a well-formed cup made of the dead stems of the surroundingplant built up above the level of the ground. It contained four eggswith incubation begun. A male bird was flushed from this nest, and
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 25the other two that were collected in this breeding area were males.The eggs vary in ground color from deep olive-buff to olive-buft" andare spotted boldly with more or less irregular spots of fuscous-black,bone brown, and various shades of grayish olive. They measure, inmilluneters, 51.8 by 37.8, 53.5 by 38.8, 54 by 38.4, and 54.2 by 39.TOTANUS FLAVIPES (Gmeiin)Lesser YellowlegsScolopax flavipes Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 659 (New York).The lesser yellowlegs was noted on March 26, when about a dozenwere seen feeding on a mud flat near the flying field east of Cap-Haitien, Haiti. One was seen near Aquin on April 5.PISOBIA MINUTILLA (VieiUot)Least SandpiperTringa minutilla Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 34, 1819, p. 466 (NovaScotia to Antilles).A single least sandpiper was seen on May 1 1 along the shore of thesalt lagoon back of Ocrik Bay, Beata Island, Dominican RepubUc.PISOBIA MELANOTOS (VieiUot)Pectoral SandpiperTringa melanotos Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 34, 1819, p. 462 (Para-guay).The pectoral sandpiper was detected once when a single bird wasobserved on May 10 at Beata Island, Dominican Republic. It wasfeeding on the mud flat of a salt pan and successfully eluded ourefforts to capture it. PISOBIA FUSCICOLUS (VieUIot)White-rumped SandpiperTringa fuscicollis Vieillot, Nouv. Dist. Hist. Nat., vol. 34, 1819, p. 461 (Para-guay).On Beata Island, on May 12, one white-rumped sandpiper was ob-served distinctly. On May 15 one was seen with a flock of semipal-mated sandpipers but was wary and would not allow approach for ashot. It was observed in flight several times when its markings wereeasily evident through binoculars.The species has not been recorded previously from Hispaniola, butits occurrence there is not unusual, since it has been found in migra-tion in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Cuba. Specimens should be takento support the Dominican record.
26 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82EREUNETES PUSILLUS (Linnaeus)Semipalmated SandpiperTringa pusilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 252 (Santo Domingo-^Hispaniola).On a large mud flat near the flying field east of Cap-Haiftien, Haiti,about 100 semipalmated sandpipers were seen on March 26. Thisspecies also was common around the shores of the salt lagoons andsalt pans on Beata Island, Dominican Republic, May 10 to 15. Onthe latter date a large flock was evidently in migration as they ap-peared to have just arrived and were decidedly nervous at ourapproach. Three were taken on May 12.EREUNETES MAURI CabanisWestern SandpiperEreunetes mauri Cabanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1856, p. 149 (Cuba).Ordinarily but scant reliance should be placed upon field identifica-tions of the western sandpiper, but occasionally conditions are suffi-ciently favorable to allow satisfactory diagnosis without the necessityfor collection. Such an opportunity was presented on March 26,when we identified several of these birds feeding in company withE. pusillus on a mud flat a short distance east of Cap-Haitien, Haiti.CROCETHIA alba (Pallas)SanderlingTrynga alba Pallas, in Vroeg, Cat. Rais., Adumbr., 1764, p. 7 (coast of NorthSea).The sanderling was noted on but one occasion, when a single birdwas observed, May 12, at Beata Island, Dominican Republic, in com-pany with three ruddy turnstones.Family RECURVIROSTRIDAE, Avocets and StiltsHIMANTOPUS MEXICANUS (Muller)Black-necked StiltCharadrius mexicanus Muller, Natursystem, Suppl., 1776, p. 117 (Mexico).Black-necked stilts were first observed near Cap-Haitien, Haiti,where on March 26 five or six were feeding along the edge of the man-groves on a mud flat. At Terrier Rouge they were heard calling inthe moonlit evenings of March 28 and 29. On April 29, at lie a Vache,the characteristic calls of this bird attracted our attention to an interiormarsh where half a dozen individuals were seen. A few were observedon May 23, feeding on overflowed land at Source Matelas.In the Dominican Republic we noted stilts in the harbor at Bara-hona on May 9, and small numbers were seen daily around the saltlagoons on Beata Island, May 10 to 15.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 27Family OEDICNEMIDAE, Thick-kneesOEDICNEMUS DOMINICENSIS CoryHisPANioLAN Thick-kneeOEdicnemus dominicensis Cory, Quart. Journ. Boston Zool. Soc, Oct. 1883, p. 46(La Vega, Dominican Republic).The Hispaniolan thick-knee was actually observed on but oneoccasion when a pair was found in the raesquite at Pont de I'Estere,Haiti, on March 31. They were ridiculously tame and made no attemptto fly, merely running short distances in a petulant manner as thoughresentful at being forced to move. One of these was collected andapparently constitutes the first specimen for Haiti, although the birdhas been reported previously on a few occasions.* The collection ofthis specimen definitely identified a local name, coq savanne, whichwas immediately used by our native guide in referring to it.We were informed that the bucaro occurred on Beata Island,Dominican Republic, but it was not seen by us in the portions of theisland visited. There are, however, open savannas of rather limitedsize that may be suited to its needs. Its habit of standing motionlessfor long periods, coupled with its highly protective coloration, mayeasily account for its being overlooked in many areas. Its occurrencehere is, however, subject to verification.In a recent letter Dr. R. Ciferri states that the specimen recordedby Moltoni ^ as from San Juan, Dominican Republic, refers to a birdin captivity that was brought to San Juan from Moca, in the north.On its death it was made into a skin and through some misunderstand-ing San Juan was given as its proper locality. Dr. Ciferri writesthat the bucaro is known properly in the south only from the greatSabana de Guerra, or Sabana de Guabatico, where both he and hisbrother have observed it. In the north he states that it ranges fromBonao to Dajabon along the base of the Cordillera Central in openvalle^^s and savannas. It does not seem to pass beyond the base ofthe Cordillera Septentrional, being thus restricted to the great valleyof the Cibao, extending from Monte Cristi to Sabana la Mar. Hecomments on the frequent occurrence of the bird in captivity, and ofone of its peculiarities in attitude in which it frequently rests withthe entire tarsus extended along the ground. The eggs, two to fourin number, he says are desposited in slight hollows without nestlining. They are grayish in color, heavily dotted with small markingsof brown.Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Boog-Scott informed us that they were nowcertain of the occurrence of the coq savanne on the open gravel knollsnear the experiment station at Hinche, Haiti.
* See Wetmore and Swales, The birds of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. U.S. Nat.Mus. Bull.155, 1931, p. 197.i Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat., vol. 68, 1929, p. 314.
28 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Family LARIDAE, Gulls and TernsLARUS ATRIGILLA LinnaeusLaughing GullLarus atricilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 136 (Bahama Islands).In crossing from Aux Cayes to lie k Vache on April 27, we saw fiveof these birds in full plumage. Between Barahona and Beata Islandthese gulls were common at sea, and it was noted that there was aregular flight from the south in early morning. At Beata they werecommon along the beach, and fished with the brown pelicans. Allwere in full breeding dress, so that it seems probable that there is anesting colony somewhere in this area. One gull associated itselfclosely with fishing pelicans awaiting their dives to drive small fishinto shallow water, whereupon it made its own plunge into the schooland rarely missed its fish.GELOCHEUDON NILOTICA ARANEA (Wilson)Gull-billed TernSterna aranea Wilson, Amer. Orn., vol. 8, 1814, p. 143, pi. 72, fig. 6 (Cape May,New Jersey)
.
Several gull-billed terns were observed on May 10 as we came in toanchor at Beata Island.STERNA DOUGALLH DOUGALLH MontaguRoseate TernSterna dougallii Montagu, Suppl. Orn. Diet., 1813, text and plate (not num-bered) (Cambrae Islands, Firth of Clyde).At Beata Island, on May 12, we located a colony of a dozen pairsof roseate terns on a block of limestone a few feet square forming atiny island in the lagoon back of our camp. The birds may havebeen present here earlier but were not definitely identified until theday mentioned. They were evidently on their breeding grounds buthad not yet laid on our departure on May 15. On that day an adultmale was taken. On May 16 these terns were seen in small numbersat sea between Beata and Puerto Caiman; on May 17 others wererecorded north as far as Paradis.STERNA ANAETHETA RECOGNITA (Mathews)American Bridled TernMelanosterna anaethetus recognita Mathews, The birds of Australia, vol. 2, pt. 4,Nov. 1, 1912, p. 403 (Bahama Islands).On May 14 we found considerable colonies of bridled terns nestingon three isolated rocks lying 2 or 3 kilometers offshore from thenorthern coast of Beata Island, Dominican Republic. The birds
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 29seemed to feed entirely at sea, and were not observed along shore. OnMay 16 and 17, individuals were observed over the open water northto a point opposite Paradis. Four specimens were taken on May 14.On the rocks near Beata we found numerous eggs and collected aseries of 11, all of them fresh. These were found in small potholesin the limestone rock, or under small projecting ledges where they wereusually more or less sheltered from above. They were placed onslight accumulations of earth without other pretense to a nest. Theparents were tame and flew about or rested near at hand, utteringcawing or croaking calls. Two were captured in rock crevices byhand, and others could easily have been obtained in like manner.One of those taken by this means was a male, indicating possiblythat the male shares in the duties of incubation.The eggs vary in ground color from very light pale olive-buff to adull ivory-yellow, and are covered with small, somewhat irregularspots of bone brown and army brown, these becoming bluish slateof varying shades where overlaid by a deposit of shell. The spotsare quite evenly distributed over most of the surface, though in-dividual specimens vary in the abundance and size of the markings.They measure as follows, in millimeters: 42.8 by 33.1; 44.8 by 31.6;45.1 by 34; 45.7 by 33.8; 46.1 by 31.7; 46.1 by 33.4; 47.6 by 32.7;47.7 by 33.3; 47.9 by 34.4; 48 by 34.6; 48.8 by 34.5.In previous work on West Indian birds, Wetmore has treated thistern under the name Sterna anaetheta melanoptera (Swainson) basedon Sterna melanoptera of Swainson described from West Africa.Kidgway,^ and more recently the fourth edition of the A.O.U.Check List of North American Birds, have accepted recognita ofMathews as a properly differentiated form. In view of this wefollow this latter procedure without having compared birds from theeastern and western sides of the Atlantic.STERNA FUSCATA FUSCATA LinnaeusSooty TernSterna fuscata Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 228 (Hispaniola)
.
Sooty terns were observed a short distance north of Beata Islandon May 10, and others were recorded on May 16, when we were inpassage north to Puerto Caiman, below Enriquillo.STERNA ALBIFRONS ANTILLARUM (Lesson)Least TernSiernula antillarum Lesson, Compl. Ocuvres Buffou, vol. 20, 1847, p. 256 (Guade-loupe Island, West Indies).
? U.S.Nat.Mus.Bull. 50, pt. 8, 1919, p. 512.
30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82On Beata Island, Dominican Republic, from May 10 to 15 wefound this handsome tern in fair numbers about the saUne lagoonsand along the coast. On May 12 we located a small breeding colonynesting on the narrow ledges formed by the tops of the earth-filleddikes that divided the lagoons at the salt works into sections. Wecollected three sets of two eggs each, and found all to be fresh. Theeggs were deposited on packed earth, and each set was surroundedby a ring of small moUuscan shells. Numerous single eggs werescattered about, but in no case was the ring of shells observed aboutthem, indicating possibly that this treatmient was accorded only tocomplete sets. Three skins were prepared on this day.The eggs taken vary in ground color from lighter than pale olive-buff to a warm olive-buff, spotted somewhat irregularly over theentire surface with bone brown and natal brown, these becomingvarious shades of bluish slate where overlaid by calcareous depositsof the shell. In some eggs the spots are fine and in others ratherbold and heavy. In one egg the slaty markings predominate. Fol-lowing are measurements in millimeters of the three sets obtained:28.5 by 21.9, 28.7 by 22.2; 30.3 by 22.5, 30.8 by 22.5; 32 by 23.2,32.8 by 23.8. THALASSEUS MAXIMUS MAXIMUS {Boddaert)Royal TernSterna maxima Boddaert, Table Planches Enl., 1783, p. 58 (Cayenne).At Terrier Rouge, Haiti, we saw one royal tern near the FondBlanc plantation house on March 29 and another near the entranceto Fort Liberte Bay on the same day.This tern was recorded at Barahona on May 9, and as we cameout of harbor in our tiny sloop after dark that evening a white spoton a buoy, that we passed within a few meters, in the light of a flash-light became one of these terns asleep. The birds were seen regularlythe following day in passage to Beata Island, and at the latter placewere seen daily along the beach. An adult male taken on May 11was in full breeding dress. On our return on May 16 this specieswas recorded as far as Puerto Caiman below Enriquillo.It is of interest to report that a royal tern banded as a chick atEgg Bank, Helena Sound, Beaufort County, S.C, on July 18, 1930,by E. Milby Burton was taken subsequently on a beach near Enri-quillo, Dominican Republic, on March 13, 1931. An account of thiscapture published in the newspaper La Opinion, of Santo DomingoCity, was reported to the Biological Survey in Washington by GeorgeH. Hamor, of Barahona. Another banded by Mr. Burton at Cape
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIKDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 31Romain, S.C, July 18, 1931, was found dead November 13, 1931,on the Higuamo River, Dominican Republic.THALASSEUS SANDVICENSIS ACUFLAVIDUS (Cabot)Cabot's TernSterna acuflavida Cabot, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 2, 1847, p. 257(Tancah, Yucatan).Several Cabot's terns were seen on May 10 at sea about 15 kilo-meters north of Beata Island, Dominican Republic.ANOtJS STOUDUS STOLIDUS (Linnaeus)Noddy TernSterna stolida Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 137 (West Indies).The noddy tern, known to the native fishermen as bubi, was com-mon about the off-lying rocks opposite Ocrik on the north coast ofBeata Island, Dominican Republic, and on May 10 came flying aboutour sloop in flocks when we were 15 kilometers north of the island.The birds fed entirely at sea and were not observed again, save throughbinoculars at a far distance, until May 14 when we visited the isolatedrocks mentioned in search of sea birds. Colonies of noddies werefound nesting on two of these, and two adult females and 10 sets ofone egg each were collected. Two eggs were slightly incubated andthe others were fresh. On May 16 noddies were noted at sea northto Puerto Caiman, below Enriquillo.The eggs v/ere placed on slight piles of vegetation and were scatteredat random over the open surface of the rocks, in contrast to the eggsof the bridled terns that nested here also and that were placed moreor less under shelter.In ground color the 10 eggs obtained vary from dull white to verypale cartridge buff. They are spotted with brown ranging fromchocolate and warm sepia to bone brown, which is changed to vary-ing shades of bluish slaty gray where the markings are overlaid bycalcareous shell material. The markings vary from fine to bold, inone or two eggs being confluent over certain areas so as to presentthe appearance of blotches. They are most abundant about thelarge end of the egg, but are scattered in varying amounts elsewhere,some eggs having few markings while in others they are abundant.Measurements, in millimeters, are as follows: 50.5 by 36.2; 51 by 35.7;51.5 by 36; 51.8 by 34.5; 52.3 by 36.2; 53.1 by 35.2; 53.4 by 36.5;53.9 by 36.7; 54.1 by 35.2; 56.2 by 35.6.
32 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Order COLUMBIFORMESFamily COLUMBIDAE, Doves and PigeonsCOLUMBA LEUCOCEPHALA LinnaeusWhite-crowned PigeonColumha leucocephala Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 164 (BahamaIslands).At Deron, Haiti, on April 8, several white-crowned pigeons werekilled for the table. On lie a Vache from April 28 to 30 these birdswere common, being scattered through fields and pastures. OnBeata Island, Dominican Republic, from May 11 to 15, this pigeonwas abundant through the dry scrubs, being distributed both alongthe coast and in the interior. The display flight of the male is quitesimilar to that of the domestic pigeon, during its course the birdflying with the extended wings moving in short strokes above thelevel of the back. The birds were nesting on Beata.COLUMBA SQUAMOSA BonnaterreScaled PigeonColumha squamosa Bonnaterre, Tableau Enc. M6th., vol. 1, 1792, p. 234(Guadeloupe Island, West Indies).Throughout the forested areas, including the coffee plantations ofthe western end of the Tiburon Peninsula, this large pigeon is soabundant that it was recorded daUy from April 6 to April 25 in theslow journey from Post Avance to the La Hotte Mountains andreturn. On Pic de Macaya the birds ranged to the summit of themountain and were seen daily in flight past our camp at 1,275 metersaltitude. In the forests they rested in the upper branches of thetrees, where, as usual, they were difficult to see among the leaves untilthey took flight. At Les Glaces on April 24 these pigeons were veryabundant, so that in a short walk late in the afternoon among thelow hills behind our camp we saw several hundred. The birdscrossed the sky constantly, and dead tree tops on the horizon oftenhad half a dozen resting in them while their cooing calls came fromevery side. Though there was no hunting here the birds were verywary. Several were recorded near Belladere on May 6.COLUMBA INORNATA INORNATA VigorsPlain PigeonColumha inornata Vigors, Zool. Journ., vol. 3, Dec. 1827, p. 466 (near Havana,Cuba).On May 7 we saw two plain pigeons at a waterhole in the desertarea between Azua and Boca del Baos, Dominican RepubUc.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 33ZENAIDA ZENAIDA ZENAIDA (Bonaparte)Zenaida DoveColumba zenaida Bonaparte, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 5, June1825, p. 30 (Florida Keys).This is one of the commonest doves of Haiti through areas ofcultivated fields and arid scrubs, but does not penetrate into the rainforests of the better-watered areas. In the north it was recorded atDessalines on March 25 and near Trou on March 26. Near TerrierRouge from March 27 to 30 it was fairly common, and on March 27at the Morne des Mammelles we flushed one from a nest that con-tained two fresh eggs. The nest was a broad platform of ratherlarge twigs having a slight central depression for the eggs, placedon a level section of the inclined trunk of a twisted tree of large size,and was located 4 meters from the ground. The two eggs, whitewith a distinct gloss, measure 28.9 by 23 and 29.3 by 22.5 mm.One of these doves w^as seen on lie a Vache on April 30.On May 6 and 7 we found Zenaida doves common along the high-way between Comendador and Azua, Dominican Republic. OnBeata Island from May 10 to 15 they were common, this periodbeing apparently the breeding season, as the display flight of themales in which they scaled through the air with set wings in greatcircles was seen daily. Their cooing song in tone is like that of themourning dove but is more sonorous and is given in a monotone with-out the rising and falling cadences of the song of the latter species.On several occasions we saw these doves fly out from Beata Islandtoward the distant Dominican shore, and when collecting sea birdson isolated rocks north of Beata we observed these doves passing onseveral occasions, so that they appear to cross constantly betweenthe two islands.On May 19 and 20 in traveling from Barahona, Dominican Re-public, to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, we saw Zenaida doves regularlyalong the highway. A few were seen near Thomazeau, Haiti, onMay 22, and others near L'Arcahaie on May 23.ZENAIDURA MACROURA MACROURA (Linnaeus)West Indian Mourning DoveColumba macroura Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, pt. 1, 1758, p. 164 (Cuba)'.Tliis species, common in cultivated sections and in many aridregions, was seen in the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 23,and was recorded at Dessalines on March 25 and at Trou on March26. At Terrier Rouge they were very common in the sisal fields andin adjacent areas, where they were calling constantly. At the
' See Wetmore and Swales. U.S.Nat.Mus. Bull. 155, 1931, p. 171.172294?33 3
34 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Morne des Mammelles on March 30 we found a nest placed on anepiphyte growing on the trunk of a tree 2^ meters from the ground.The nest was the usual shallow structure of small twigs, and con-tained two eggs with incubation begun. These are white with aslight gloss and measure 26.2 by 19.7 and 25.7 by 19.4 mm.On April 28 and 30 we recorded this dove on He a Vache. In theregion from Comendador to Barahona it was seen in some numbersalong the highway on May 7 to 9, and again on May 19 and 20.On May 22 we collected five adults in open pasture land and oldfields near Thomazeau, and on May 23 recorded this species atL'Arcahaie. MELOPELIA ASIATICA ASIATICA (Linnaeus)White-winged DoveColutnha asiatica Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 163 (Jamaica).The white-winged dove was recorded as follows: Dessalines, Haiti,March 25; Trou, March 26; Terrier Rouge, March 28 and 30; Deron,April 8 (a female taken contained an egg nearly ready to be laid);Post Avance, April 26; lie a Vache, April 28, one female taken as itflushed from a newly finished nest without eggs, and a young birdshot that was barely grown; Belladere, May 6; San Juan to Bara-hona, Dominican Republic, May 9 and 19; L'Arcahaie, Haiti, May 23.Don Eduardo Echevaria said that he saw them occasionally onBeata Island, but we did not record them there.COLUMBIGALLINA PASSERINA INSULARIS RidgwayCuban Ground-doveColumbigallina passerina insularis Ridgway, Proc.U.S.Nat.Mus., vol. 10, 1887,p. 574 (Grand Cayman Island).The widely distributed Cuban ground-dove was recorded at mostof the lowland localities visited except that it was not observed dur-ing work on the Tiburon Peninsula. On lie a Vache it was fairlycommon from April 28 to 30, and a few were seen on Beata Islandon May 11 and 12, three specimens being taken.OREOPELEIA MONTANA (Linnaeus)Ruddy Quail-doveColumha montana Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 163 (Jamaica).The ruddy quail-dove was recorded only on April 7 near Geffrard,Haiti, in heavy rain forest.OREOPELEIA CHRYSIA (Bonaparte)Key West Quail-doveGeotrygon chrysia Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. (Paris), vol. 40, 1855,p. 100 (Florida).
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS WETMORE AND LINCOLN 35On May 9, at La Cienaga, 15 kilometers south of Baraliona,Dominican Republic, we flushed one of these quail-doves from a nestand collected it, the bird proving to be a male. The nest was theslight platform of twigs usual in pigeons and was placed 4 metersfrom the ground near the trunk of a tree which stood in a densethicket. The nest contained one young bird, and one egg on thepoint of hatching. The embryo was removed so as to leave the shellintact and was skinned for a specimen. The egg is somewhat deeperthan light buff in color, and measures 30.8 by 23.2 mm. The youngare entirely covered with long down, pinkish buff on the uppersurface and cartridge buff below.Order PSITTACIFORMESFamily PSITTACIDAE, Parrots, Paroquets, and MacawsAMAZONA VENTRALIS (MUller)HisPANioLAN ParrotPsittacus ventralis Muller, Natursystem, Suppl., 1776, p. 79 (Hispaniola).Two of these parrots were seen near Dessalines, Haiti, on March 25,and others were recorded on Morne des Mammclles at Terrier Rouge,on March 27 and 30.In riding the trails on the journey from Post Avance into the LaHotte region we saw parrots daily; they were commonly distributedthroughout this area. On Pic de Macaya they ranged to the top ofthe mountain, and were found in little flocks in the trees, or were notedin fhght across the mountain slopes. At sunrise they came oft' thehighest ridges, their heavy, short-winged forms showing in dark sil-houettes against the distant ?ky.On May 19 half a dozen were seen 50 kilometers east of San Juan,Dominican Republic, and the following day a number were observedeast of Las Cahobes, Haiti.ARATINGA CHLOROPTERA CHLOROPTERA (Souancfi)HisPANioLAN ParoquetPsiilacara chloroptera Souance, Rev. Mag. Zool., 1856, p. 59 ("Saint-Domingue").Several paroquets were seen between Trouin and Jacmel, Haiti,on Ma}^ 5. From Belladere to San Juan, Dominican Republic, theywere common on May 7, and on May 20 a flock was recorded nearMirebalais, Haiti.Careful watch was kept for these birds in travel in the La Hottemountain area, their absence here being particularly noticeable sinceWetmore had found them common on the ridge of La Selle in 1927.Apparently our record of this species between Trouin and Jacmelmarks the western point on the Tiburon Peninsula at which it has
36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol. 82been reported, though there has been extensive field work in the regionbeyond. Order CUCULIFORMESFamily CUCULIDAE, Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and AnisCOCCYZUS AMERICANUS AMERICANUS (Linnaeus)Yellow-billed CuckooCuculus americanus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. Ill (Carolina).At La Cienaga, Dominican Republic, 15 kilometers south of Bara-hona, we saw one of these cuckoos on May 9. On Beata Islandseveral were heard calling on May 13 from the densest growths ofscrub, where they were difficult to approach. We finally collected apair and found the female about to lay. Possibly the species had justarrived here in migration, since none had been recorded previously,and we noted others on the two following days. One was seen nearHabanero on May 19, and on May 22 near Thomazeau and May 23near L'Arcahaie, Haiti, we heard cuckoos calling that we supposed tobe this species.The two taken have the following measurements: Male, wing 134.8,tail 134.5, culmen from base 25.1, tarsus 25 mm; female, wing 141.2,tail 139.3, culmen from base 27.2, tarsus 24.5 mm.COCCYZUS MINOR TERES PetersMangrove CuckooCoccyzus minor teres Peters, Proc. New England Zool. Club, vol. 9, June 24, 1927,p. 112 (Sosiia, Dominican Republic).On lie a Vache, Haiti, two mangrove cuckoos were seen on April 28,and a breeding male was taken. Another was observed on April 30.At Jacmel and at Gressier single birds were recorded on May 5.SAUROTHERA LONGIROSTRIS LONGIROSTRIS (Hermann)Hispaniolan Lizard-cuckooCuculus longirostris Hermann, Tabula affinitatum animalium, 1783, p. 186(Hispaniola).This common species was recorded regularly throughout the courseof our work, being seen wherever there was proper cover for it. Inthe La Hotte region it was fairly common, ranging to 1,700 meters butnot being observed beyond that point, though rain-forest conditionsabove were suitable for it and it may be found at the higher altitudeswith more prolonged observation. Three specimens were taken here,two females and a male. The former are decidedly darker brown onthe throat and darker gray on the crown than any others seen fromelsewhere in Hispaniola, but in the male the throat is lighter. At
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMOEE AND LINCOLN 37
first glance it appeared that a mountain race might be indicated, butfurther study is required to substantiate this.CROTOPHAGA ANI LinnaeusAniCrotophaga ani Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 105 (Jamaica).The ani was observed throughout the lowdand areas that we visited,and was common at many points. At Terrier Rouge on March 28 wesaw a family of five 3^oung barely able to fly, and collected one.These birds were warier than the adults and tried always to keepbehind a screen of leaves. Their calls were higher pitched than thoseof older birds.Anis were found in clearings in the lower elevations of the La Hotteregion, but did not penetrate into the rain forests of the mountains,though we observed them in a small, open valley at Donte on April 7,and noted them also along the high ridges near Desbarriere. Onlie a Vache anis were so common that flocks of them walked about inthe grass in scattered companies, or gathered in gossiping groups inthe shaded branches of mango trees. Half a dozen frequently restedtogether picldng at the feathers on one another's heads. At Barahona,after a rain, anis rested in the limbs of a dead tree, their v/ings andtail held widely spread in the sun to allow them to dry, presenting amost grotesque appearance.Order STRIGIFORMESFamily TYTONIDAE, Barn OwlsTYTO GLAUCOPS (Kaup)HisPANioLAN Barn OwlStrix glaucops Kaup, Jardine's Contr. Orn., 1852, p. 118 (Dominican Republic).A female shot from a tree in heavy woodland at La Cienaga, 15kilometers south of Barahona on May 9, was our only record forthis bird. Family STRIGIDAE, Typical OwlsSPEOTYTO CUNICULARIA TROGLODYTES Wetmore and SwalesHisPANiOLAN Burrowing OwlSpeotyto cunicularia troglodytes Wetmore and Swales, U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 155,Mar. 7, 1931, p. 239 (Haiti).In Haiti the burrowing owl was seen near St. Marc on March 25and 31, and at Source Matelas on May 23. Between Las Cahobesand Barahona, Dominican Republic, this species was fairly commonon May 6 and 19. On May 12 we found two in a rough, stony area
38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82
near the sea on the northern coast of Beata Island, and collected amale. There was no soil here, but abundant holes in the limestonesurface rock furnished these birds suitable shelters. The one takendoes not differ from specimens from the main island.ASIO DOMINGENSIS DOMINGENSIS (MUller)HisPANiOLAN Short-eared OwlSlrix domingensis P. L. S. Muller, Vollst. Naturs. Suppl. Reg.-Band, 1776, p. 70(Hispaniola).Dr. R. Ciferri, under date of August 31, 1931, writes that this speciesis common in the Sabana San Thome, and says that he has kept it incaptivity, an individual living thus for more than a year. It buildsits nest, composed of dry grasses, on the ground, and lays three whiteeggs, though ordinarily it rears only two young. The eggs are spher-ical in form. ASIC STYGIUS NOCTIPETENS RileyHisPANioLAN Stygian OwlAsio noctipetens Riley, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 66, no. 15, Dec. 1, 1916,p. 1 (Constanza, Dominican Republic).In view of the little that is known of this species it is of interest tonote that Dr. R. Ciferri, under date of August 31, 1931, writes thathe has kept one in captivity for a period of 6 months. He has foundit rarer in occurrence than the short-eared owl, and states that in theDominican Republic it ranges in regions of plentiful rainfall.Order CAPRIMULGIFORMESFamily CAPRIMULGIDAE, GoatsuckersANTROSTOMUS CUBANENSIS EKMANI LonnbergHisPANiOLAN GoatsuckerAntroslomus ekmani Lonnberg, Ark. for Zool., vol. 20B, no. 6, Mar. 18, 1929,p. 1, fig. 1 (J6remie, Haiti).At the Morne des Mammelles, near Terrier Rouge, Haiti, on March30 we found one of these birds lying dead beside a native hut, whereit had been thrown aside after having been killed by a stick. Inspite of the fact that it had been run over by an automobile and hadlain for nearly a day in the hot sun, it made a presentable skin. It isthe fourth specimen of this interesting bird at present known.Though it was not possible to determine the sex of this specimenby dissection, because of its condition, it is obvious from its plumagethat it is a male. The light tips of the outer tail feathers are muchmore extensive than in the female obtained by Dr. W. L. Abbott atMao, Dominican Republic (U.S.N.M. No. 279260); they are white,
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 39
with only a little buff at the tips, and a wash on the under surface,instead of being entirely deep buff; and the bird is blacker with lessmottling above. Curiously enough, it is the first specimen of themale sex known, as Lonnberg's tj'pe in Stockholm, the specimen atTring, and the one in the United States National Museum are allfemales. Also the bird illustrated by Rabie^ is a female, as indicatedby the extent of the liglit tips on the outer rectrices and their deep-buff coloration.The skin from Terrier Rouge has the following measurements:Wing 174, tail 144, culmen from base 16, tarsus 17.5 mm.CHORDEILES MINOR VICINUS KileyBaiiaman NighthawkChordeiles virginianus vicinus Riley, Auk, 1903, p. 432 (Long Island, Baliamas).Near Las Matas, Dominican Republic, on the evening of May 6,we observed one individual. On May 19, 10 kilometers east of SanJuan, following a drenching rain several were coursing over themesquite scrub with their characteristic notes. A male taken isreferable to the present race.Order MICROPODIFORMESFamily MICROPODIDAE, SwiftsNEPHOECETES NIGER NIGER (Gmelin)Antillean Black SwiftHirundo nigra Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 1025 (Hispaniola).The following records pertain to black swifts seen flying in pairs,trios, or small parties high in the air: Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March23; Geffrard, April 7; Desbarriere, April 11; Pic de Macaya, April 15,17, and 21; Les Glaces, April 24; Post Avance, April 25; Belladere,May 6; Las Cahobes and Morne k Cabrits, May 20; San Juan,Dominican Republic, May 7 and 19.STREPTOPROCNE ZONARIS PALLIDIFRONS (Hartert)Antillean Cloud SwiftChactura zonaris pallidifrons Harteut, Ibis, 1896, p. 368 (Ferry River, St.Catherine, Jamaica).On a high ridge above Donte, Haiti, a male cloud swdft in breedingcondition was collected on April 7, and a companion was seen. Otherswere observed at Bois Lacombe on April 9 and 23, and near ourcamp on Pic de Macaya on April 13 and 17.
s Wetmore, Auk, vol. 47, 1930, pi. 47.
40 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82TACHORNIS PHOEMCOBIA PHOENICOBIA GossoPalm SwiftTachornis phoenicobia Gosse, Birds of Jamaica, 1847, p. 58 (Jamaica).This tiny swift was observed at many localities in the lower altitudesvisited, being conspicuous where it occurred because of its rapid cours-ing across the sky. It was first noted over the trees near the HotelSplendide in Port-au-Prince on March 22 and 23 ; and was recordedregularly there until our departure at the end of May. Two wereobserved near our stopping place at Deron on April 8 and 9, one wasrecorded at Bois Lacombe on April 23, one at Les Glaces on April 24,and one at Camp Perrin on April 26. On lie a Vache a few werenoted and one was taken on April 28. Inland from Jacmel, near thehighway, on May 5 we found fully 60 of these birds circling with low,wheezy calls about the drooping fronds of an isolated royal palm. Thebirds were obviously nesting there in a colony, and six that we col-lected were in breeding condition. On May 7, in traveling by auto-mobile from San Juan to Azua, Dominican Republic, we recorded afew, and on May 8 and 18 found them common at Barahona. OnMay 9 a number were noted at La Cienaga 15 kilometers south ofBarahona, where they circled in little openings along a dry wash.Two were taken. On Beata Island on May 12 we saw one coursingover an open saline, and were greatly amused when a mango humming-bird, almost as large as the swift, darted up and pursued it for somedistance with the swift circling in confusion to escape. On May 19we observed a number in the desert area north of Habanero andwondered if they chose some other nesting site here, since there wereno palms. Family TROCHILIDAE, HummingbirdsMELLISUGA MINIMA VIELLOTI (Shaw)HisPANioLAN Vervain HummingbirdTrochilus Vielloti Shaw, Gen Zool., vol. 8, pt. 1, 1812, p. 347 (Hispaniola)
.
On the Morne des Mammelles, at Terrier Rouge, Haiti, we founda few of these hummingbirds on March 27, 28, and 30, and collectedone on March 28. One was recorded at Deron on April 8, and onewas seen at 1,250 meters elevation near our camp on Pic de Macayaon April 18. Another was recorded at Amiel below the high ridgeat Desbarriere on April 23. On lie a Vache one was observed onApril 29, and a female was taken on April 30. On the latter date aboy at our camp caught a young bird just from the nest.RICCORDIA SWAINSONII (Lesson)HisPANiOLAN Emerald HummingbirdOrnismya swainsonii Lesson, Hist. Nat. Ois.-mouches, 1829, p. 197, pi. 70(Hispaniola).
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMOEE AND LINCOLN 41In the areas visited, this hummingbird was recorded only in theLa Hotte region, where it was common. As we entered this sectionat Geffrard on April 7, this hummer appeared in the rain forest, andwas recorded as far as Les Glaces, and was seen also on our returnon April 24. At Desbarricre one was seen on April 11, and that sameday a male was taken at La Cour Z'Anglais at an elevation of only550 meters. Others were seen at the latter locality on April 23. OnPic de Macaya we found this hummer common from April 14 to 20,and it was the only species of its family in the rain forest where itranged in the summit of the mountain. In feeding at flowers thesehummers sometimes hovered poised before the blossoms and againperched on near-by tv/igs while probing for food. A nest found at1,650 meters elevation was placed 2 meters above a trail on a smalltwig projecting beneath an inclined tree trunk where it was pro-tected from rain. The female was near this nest but as yet it wasempty.Two females taken on Pic de Macaya have a much deeper wash ofbrown on the under surface than others that we have seen.ANTHRACOTHORAX DOMINICUS (Linnaeus)HiSPANIOLAN Mango HufJMINGBIRDTrochilus dominiciis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 191 (Hispaniola)
.
This species is the commonest hummingbird of the region, beingrather universally distributed except in the dense growths of the rainforests, which it does not penetrate. At Terrier Rouge from March26 to 30 it was noted feeding at flowers of yucca, and it was foundalso in the low, arid, open forest of the Morne des Mammeiles. Wenoted that on occasion the flight was bounding, with the wings attimes held stiffly spread while the bird sailed with motionless pinionsfor a short distance. These hummers frequently probed flowers whileat rest on some perch. In the La Hotte region they were fairly com-mon, ranging on the Pic de Macaya to the edge of the rain forest atour camp. On April 10 near Desbarriere a female darted repeatedlyat us, indicating that there was a nest near by, but we could not findit. This species was seen at Camp Perrin on April 25.On lie a Vache these hummers were fairly common from April 28to 30, one being taken on April 29. On the day previous a female wasseen at a newly finished nest 10 meters from the ground in a wildalmond tree back of the beach. Near Jacmel this hummer was ob-served on May 5, and in crossing from Belladere, Haiti, to Barahona,Dominican Republic, on May 6 and 7, we found it fairly common.On Beata Island this species was fairly common from May 11 to15, and several specimens were taken. These do not differ from skinsfrom the main island opposite, which was to be expected, as the dis-tance of separation is not great, and hummers should cross the straitreadily. One was seen pursuing a palm swift as already noted.
42 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82A nest found on May 13 was placed on a horizontal limb in a shrub 2meters from the ground at the edge of brush bordering a saline. Thenest is composed of cottony plant fibers forming a deep cup, coveredexternally with thin flakes of bark bound on with spiders' web. Itmeasures approximately 40 mm in diam.eter by 32 mm high, and restson a flat crotch where it has firm support. The two white eggs wereheavily incubated, so that only one is available for measurement, itsdimensions being 14.5 by 9.5 mm.Other hummers of this species were seen at Habanero, DominicanRepublic, May 19; at Las Cahobes, Haiti, May 20; and near L'Arca-haie, May 23. Order TROGONIFORMESFamily TROGONIDAE, TrogonsTEMNOTROGON ROSEIGASTER (Vieillot)HiSPANIOLAN TrOGONTrogon roseigaster Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., vol. 8, 1817, p. 314(Hispaniola).In the La Hotte region the trogon was one of the common forestbirds recorded daily in our travels through this area. On April 6,as our pack train started up the winding trail beyond Post Avance,the calls of the trogon came to us from the forested slopes above us,and as we left the region by the same trail on our way out on April 25,and as we came down into the colfee plantations toward Camp Perrin,the same notes faded out in the distance behind. A female taken atDonte on April 7 was nearly ready to lay. On the Pic de Macaya,trogons were common, ranging to the summit of the mountain, beingespecially numerous among the great pines of the higher altitudes.Two males taken there were not in breeding condition so that thenesting period seems to vary locally. At our camp their curious callscame to us all through the day as one of the regular bird songs of theforest, and the trogons themselves came daily in trees about our tent.Order CORACIIFORMESFamily ALCEDINIDAE, KingfishersMEGACERYLE ALCYON ALCYON (Linnaeus)Belted KingfisherAlccdo alcyon Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 115 (North America).On March 25 we noted a kingfisher on the Limbe River, near Limbe,Haiti, and the following day observed one at the border of a lagoonnear Cap-Haitien. One was seen on April 12 at the inland locality ofLa Cour Z'Anglais on the Anglais River at an elevation of 600 meters
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS WETMORE AND LINCOLN 43
above the sea. On Beata Island from May 10 to 12 one fished dailyin the little bay in front of our quarters at Ocrik. We were amusedon one occasion to see the bird, intent on its meal, dive at a school offish at the same time as a pelican, only to veer off in sudden alarm asin his descent he nearly struck his large competitor. The date of May12 is the latest recorded in spring in this area for tliis species, and asthe bird then disappeared we assumed that it had moved northward inits migration. Family TODIDAE, TodiesTODUS SUBULATUS GrayHisPANioLAN TodyTodus subulaiiis Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. 1, Apr. 1847, pi. 22 (Hispaniola).This widely distributed species was observed in most of the lowlandlocalities visited on the main island. A breeding male tody was takenat Trou, Haiti, on the north plain on March 26. In the region ofTerrier Rouge it was common from March 27 to 30, and at that timewas nesting. We were interested to note its distribution in smallnumbers along steep-banked drainage ditches running through thesisal fields as an indication of adaptation to a change in environmentbrought about by cultivation.In entering the La Hotte region we found this species as far as CampPerrin on April 6, and on our return on April 26 observed it againnear that point and from there on down to the coast at Aux Cayes.As we were crossing from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Barahona, Do-minican Republic, on May 6 and 7, it was distributed along our road,and on May 19 on our return we collected two in the desert area northof Habanero. These are quite light on the breast, the differencebeing due apparently to wear in the plumage.TODUS ANGUSTIROSTRIS LafresnayeNarrow-billed TodyTodus angustirostris Lafresnaye, Rev. et Mag. Zool., Oct. 1851, p. 478 (Domini-can Republic).As we entered the heavily watered La Hotte region this todyappeared above Post Avance, and was recorded throughout our v/ork inthe mountain section, where it entirel}^ replaced the other species.Th(^re was no mingling of the two in the interior so far as we observed,as the present species was found even to the low altitude of La CourZ'Anglais at 600 meters elevation. On the Pic de Macaya the narrov/-bilh d tody was one of the common forest birds, ranging to the sum-mit of the mountain. Its rattling notes were heard regularly, butmany times we were not able to locate the tiny birds in the densegrowths of vegetation. Wliile the narrow-billed tody, like its cousin,captures insects regularly on the wing, it also hops about among the
44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82leaves and small branches, seeming more active in this way than itsrelative. Both sexes utter the chattering call. Several specimenstaken are in excellent plumage.Order PICIFORMESFamily PICIDAE, WoodpeckersCHRYSERPES STRIATUS (Muller)HispANioLAN WoodpeckerPicas slriatus P. L. S. Muller, Vollst. Naturs., Suppl. Reg.-Band, 1776, p. 91(Hispaniola)
.
The woodpecker is one of the widely distributed and common nativebirds that we observed in all the regions visited on the main island,but that was not found on lie a Vache or on Beata. At Terrier Rouge,from March 27 to 30, these birds were surprisingly abundant aroundthe Morne des Mammelles, and we were astonished to find a dozenpairs going in and out of nesting holes in a single dead tree trunk stand-ing in an open space, the holes being 3 to 10 meters from the groundand in some cases less than a meter apart. There was no questionthat the woodpeckers were colonizing, as the trunk was a veritableapartment house with the birds clambering actively over its surfaceand flying back and forth to the near-by woodland.In the La Hotte region in April these woodpeckers were abundant,being found both in native forest and in the coffee plantations. OnPic de Macaya they ranged to the summit of the mountain, and werefound in the plantations about its base wherever there were trees.The woodpecker was one of the few species of birds that were foundin any abundance on the higher ridges, and its laughing calls wereheard regularly in traversing the rain forest.The species was noted regularly along the road on our journey fromPort-au-Prince to Barahona, Dominican Republic, and was seen infair numbers in the desert sections.Curiously enough, Wetmore during two extended periods of obser-vation (in 1927 and 1931) did not hear this woodpecker drum as iscustomary among its many relatives, though during the present excur-sion especial attention was paid to this matter. Apparently it maynot have this habit.NESOCTITES MICROMEGAS (Sundevall)HiSPANIOLAN PiCULETPicumnus micromegas Sundevall, Conspectus avium picinarum, 1866, p. 95(Hispaniola).On March 28 we had a glimpse of two piculets in the low scrub cov-ering the Morne des Mammelles near Terrier Rouge, and on March30 a male was taken by S. W. Parish.
ART 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 45Order PASSERIFORMESFamily TYRANNIDAE, Tyrant FlycatchersTYRANNUS DOMINICENSIS DOMINICENSIS (Gmelin)Gray KingbirdLanius dominicensis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1788, vol. 1, pt. 1, p. 302 (Hispaniola).The gray kingbird is found commonly both in Haiti and the Domin-ican Republic at the lower elevations, chiefly in the cultivated areas.In the La Hotte Mountains on the Tiburon Peninsula it becamenoticeably scarcer after we left Poste Avance on April 6. A few wereobserved along the trail near Bois Lacombe, on April 9. One washeard in the vicinit}?^ of our camp on Pic de Macaya, at 1,275 meters,on April 16, and another was seen at Bois Pin Lacadonis on April 24,but it is comparatively rare in this forested section.On lie a Vache, April 27 to 30, the gray kingbird was recorded asone of the commonest birds.A few^ were seen and one was collected on Beata Island, DominicanRepublic, May 10 to 15.During the latter part of May, kingbirds were generally seen inpairs, indicating that mating was in progress.TOLMARCHUS GABBII (Lawrence)HiSPANIOLAN PeTCHARYPitangus Gabbii Lawrence, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, vol. 11, 1876, p. 288(Hato Viejo, Mao River, Province of Santiago, Dominican Republic).The petchary was recorded first at Terrier Rouge, Haiti, where onewas seen in a recently cut over area on March 27. At Deron, onApril 8, several were noted and two collected. The sexual organs wereactive, and breeding was further confirmed by observations of otherindividuals that were carrying nesting material.On April 9, when we were a short distance from Deron, we notedtwo feeding around a native beehive, but it was not determined whetherthey were catching workers or drones. In this same region an inter-esting albinistic female was collected on April 24. The crown patchwas normal but the balance of the plumage was a mixture of whiteand light brown. This species was noted up to the upper limits of thecoffee plantations, although only one was recorded at our camp onPic de Macaya at 1,275 meters, a bird seen on April 17.In the Dominican Republic the species was detected on May 9,near Barahona, and on May 19, when a single specimen was observedas we emerged from the desert onto the main highway, 15 kilometersnortheast of Azua.
46 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82MYIARCHUS DOMINICENSIS (Bryant)HisPANioLAN FlycatcherTyrannula slolida (var. dotninicensis) Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol.11, May 1867, p. 90 (Port-au-Prince, Haiti).This flycatcher was observed commonly in the lowlands of bothcountries. In Haiti it was recorded as follows: Dessalines, March 25;Trou, March 26, one collected and others seen; Terrier Rouge,March27, common on Morne des Mammelles, one taken; Aux Cayes, April 6and 26; lie a Vache, April 27 to 30, common, several taken; Thoma-zeaii, May 22, common in the Cul-de-Sac plain; and L'Arcahaie,May 23, one taken and others seen or heard. None were observed inthe La Hotte region.In the Dominican Republic this flycatcher was particularly numer-ous in the desert region between Azua and Boca del Baos, May 19.One was taken at La Cienaga south of Barahona, May 9, and anotheron Beata Island, May IL This last was the only one noted on Beataalthough the habitat would seem to be suited to its needs.BLACICUS HISPANIOLENSIS HISPANIOLENSIS (Bryant)HisPANiOLAN Wood PewebTyrannula carribaea (var. hispaniolensis) Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist.,vol. 11, May 1867, p. 91 (Port-au-Prince, Haiti).At Terrier Rouge, Haiti, from March 27 to 30, this species was fairlycommon, particularly around the base of Morne des Mammelles,where three specimens were taken. It was recorded at Geffrard, onApril 7, and at our camp on Pic de Macaya, from Ai)ril 12 to 21, oneor two were seen every day, the birds ranging through the forest tothe top of the mountain. In the clearings near camp they perchedin low bushes, while in the great pines of the higher altitudes they fre-quently rested on the highest of dead limbs, at times beyond gunshot.On April 23, while at Amiel, below Desbarriere, we observed onethat was extraordinarily fearless as it repeatedly captured insectswithin 3 or 4 feet of us. One was taken on May 19 about 4 milesnorth of Habanero, Dominican Republic, and a few others were seenalong the road between that point and San Juan. The species isthus one that can accommodate its life to arid or humid regions at need.ELAENEA ALBICAPILLA (Vieillot)HiSPANIOLAN ElAENIAMxisdca'pa albicapilla Vieillot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Amer. Sept., vol. 1, 1807, p. 66,pi. 37 ("Saint-Domingue" = Hispaniola.)We found the elaenia only in the La Hotte Mountains of westernHaiti. It was first obtained on April 17 on Pic de Macaya at an alti-tude of about 1,700 meters. On April 30 two more were obtaineda few hundred feet lower, and still others were seen or heard. All
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 47these specimens were taken from the larger forest shrubs beneathpines, where the birds worked actively about, uttering their twitteringcalls and trilling songs. There was much about them and their habitatto suggest the alder flycatcher.On April 23 on an open ridge at Amiel, below Desbarriere, while wewere waiting for two straggling porters to catch up with the main out-fit, a pair of elaenias suddenly appeared in a low tree within a few feetof us. Hurriedly dismounting we were able to obtain them both.The altitude at this point was about 1,000 meters.Comparison of the birds from the La Hotte region with specimensfrom other points in the island reveals no characters of difference.Family HIRUNDINIDAE, SwallowsLAMPROCHEUDON SCLATERI (Cory)Sclater's SwallowHirundo sclaieri Cory, Auk, 1884, p. 2 (La Vega, Dominican Republic).At Kenskoff, Haiti, on March 22, we observed half a dozen of theseswallow^s circling about the eaves of a small building,where they seemedto be nesting in crevices under the roof tiles. Elsewhere we found thespecies only in the mountains of La Hotte. At Geffrard on April 7a pair came about the native hut where we had spent the night, seem-ing to have a nest in the roof thatch. On April 9, at Bois Lacombe,15 or 20 indi%aduals were found circling over an open slope. One takenthere was a female about to breed. Near Desbarriere a few wereobserved on April 10 and 11. On the Pic de Macaya this swallowwas common, ranging from the open cultivated valleys at the base tothe forested summit of the mountain. On the liigher slopes they werefound around the great pines that towered far above the surroundingrain forest, and often when working through the dimly lighted, drip-ping verdure of the dense growth we heard the soft voices of these swal-lows as the birds coursed over the tops of the trees above us. At thisseason they were nesting. We collected a series of eight, all in fullplumage. mRUNDO ERYTHROGASTER BoddaertBarn SwallowHirundo erythrogaster Boddaert, Table Planches Enl., 1783, p. 45 (Cayenne).Single barn swallows, migrant from North America, were seen onlie a Vache, Haiti, April 28 and 29. On Beata Island, DominicanRepublic, four were observed on May 11, and two in company onMay 12, 14, and 15, the last date being that of our departure. Theseconstitute the latest dates of occurrence loiown for this region.
48 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82PETROCHELIDON FULVA fULVA (Vieillot)HiSPANiOLAN Cliff SwallowHirundo fulva Vieillot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Amor. Sept., vol. 1, 1807, p. 62, pi. 32(Hispaniola).Near Cap-Haitien, Haiti, on March 26, we saw a dozen flying abouta culvert, not more than half a meter high, in which they were ob-viously searching for a nesting site. At Terrier Rouge a few wereobserved over the sisal fields on March 27, and on March 30 we founda number about an old French ruin standing in the open. On lie aVaclie on April 28 we recorded a dozen circling over cliffs above thesea and collected two. A few were seen the day following. Severalwere observed near Barahona, Dominican Republic, on May 7.PROGNE DOMINICENSIS (Gmelin)Caribbean MartinHirundo dominicensis Gmelin, Syst Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 1025 (Hispaniola),In view of our extensive travel the scarcity of the martin is worthyof comment, as we recorded them only at Aux Cayes on April 26 and27 and on lie a Vache on April 28.Family CORVIDAE, Jays, Magpies, and CrowsCORVUS LEUCOGNAPHALUS DaudinWhite-necked CrowCorvus leucognaphalus Daudin, Traits d'Ornitliologie, vol. 2, 1800, p. 231 (PortoRico).Between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, Haiti, on March 25, wesaw these crows regularly along the auto road, and on March 31recorded several at Pont dc TEstere. On May 6 and 7 we found themdistributed in sm.all numbers from Las Cahobes, Haiti, to near Azua,Dominican Republic. We observed them again at Las Cahobes onMay 20, and near Source Matelas on May 23. This is one of thespecies that will become rarer with increased cultivation of the land.CORVUS PALMARUM PALMARUM WiirttembergPalm CrowCorvus palmarum Wurttemberg, Erst. Reis. Nordl. Amer., 1835, p. 68 (CibaoMountains, Dominican Republic).The palm crow was found near Dessalines, Haiti, on March 25,and along the highw^ay between Las Cahobes and San Juan on May6 it was fairly common. On May 20, while we were collecting smallbirds in the open country east of Las Cahobes, several of these crowscame about scolding us raucously, telling in no uncertain terms v>'hatthey thought of us and our activities. A few were seen near Thoma-zeau on May 22, and near Source Matelas on May 23.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIKDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 49Family MIMIDAE, Mockingbirds and ThrashersMIMUS POLYGLOTTOS DOMINICUS (Linnaeus)HisPANioLAN MockingbirdTurdits dominicus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 295 (Hispaniola).The mocker was recorded universally during our travels and workin the lowlands, and was one of the species regularly observed alongthe highways. At Trou, Haiti, on March 26, one was observed feed-ing a fully grown young bird. At Terrier Rouge this species wascommon from March 27 to 30. On April 6 the mocker was foundfrom Aux Cayes to Camp Perrin, and on April 26 was observed inthe same area. None were seen in the La Hotte area, though it isprobable that with increased clearing for cultivation the mocking-bird will gradually extend into the lowlands of this area. On lie aVache, from April 28 to 30, the mocker was the most conspicuous, ifnot indeed the most abundant, passerine bird. Two males and onefemale were collected there. At Jacmel we found this bird commonon May 5.Through the desert region between Azua and Barahona, DominicanRepublic, the mocker was the most abundant bird, and it was ob-served commonly in the open country about Barahona itself. Itseemed to us that birds in the desert region showed more white in thewing and tail than those observed elsewhere, but four that we collectednear Habanero on May 19 do not differ appreciably from birds frommore humid sections. At Thomazeau, Haiti, on May 22 we observedone mocker with the entire tail pure white. On May 23 we foundthese birds abundant near L'Arcahaie.Though mockers were singing constantly, it was only occasionallythat we heard one imitating the songs of other birds. At TerrierRouge we observed one that imitated the songs of the Jamaicanvireo, flat-billed vireo, and Hispaniolan thrush. On lie a Vachemockers gave the song of the Jamaican vireo regularly, and nearBarahona we heard one gifted individual that included the notes ofthe gray kingbird, tody, vireo, and woodpecker in its repertoire.DUMETELLA CAROLINENSIS (Linnaeus)CatbirdAfuscicapa carolvnensis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 328 (Vir-ginia or Carolina).Near Terrier Rouge on May 28 a catbird was seen distinctly atclose range by Lincoln and by S. W. Parish. This is the secondrecord for Hispaniola, one having been taken by Dr. W. L. Abbott onTortue Island on February 5, 1917.^
? See Wetinore and Swales, U. S.Nat.Mus. Bull. 155, 1931, p. 333.172294?33 4
50 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82MARGAROPS FUSCATUS FUSCATUS (Vieillot)Pearly-eyed ThrasherTurdus fuscatus Vieillot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Am6r. Sept., vol. 2, 1807, p. 1, pi. 57bis (Hispaniola: Puerto Rico).This bird was found in fair numbers in the dry scrubs of BeataIsland, where four were taken on May 11, 13, and 15. The brokensong, not heard by Wetmore for 20 years, was clear in memory asit came on our first excursion into the thorny thickets, and its identitywas verified by the first specimen that came to hand. The birdswere secretive and were approached with some difficulty as theyrested under cover in the tops of the low trees.This record establishes the present form as one properly includedin the list of Hispaniolan birds, as previously it has been known onlyfrom an uncertain statement by Vieillot, who in 1807 said that hefound it in Haiti, and from a living specimen purchased by Beebe ina collection of live birds secured for the New York Zoological Societyin Haiti. The suggestion of Wetmore and Swales '" that the speciesmight occur on some of the smaller islets has now been verified.Possibly the living bird purchased by Beebe in Port-au-Prince camefrom Beata, since Haitian fishermen until recently visited the islandin their fishing expeditions.The specimens obtained are of the typical race.Family TURDIDAE, Thrushes, Bluebirds, and SolitairesMIMOCICHLA ARDOSIACEA ARDOSIACEA (Vieillot)Hispaniolan ThrushTurdus ardosiaceus Vieillot, Tableau Enc. M6th., vol. 2, 1823, p. 646 (Hispaniola).Near Terrier Rouge, Haiti, this robinlike thrush was found in smallnumbers in the scrub covering the Morne des Mammelles. Through-out the La Hotte region it was common, being observed from April 6to 26, appearing at Camp Perrin and continuing throughout ourtravels in this region until we came down once more toward AuxCayes. It was particularly common through the cofl'ee plantations ofthe area between Deron and Bois Lacombe, and on the slopes ofMacaya above La Cour Z'Anglais, being in fact the most abundantbird of these areas. On the Pic de Macaya it was common, rangingfrom groves in the cultivated areas near the base to the forests clothingthe summit of the peak. The broken songs of this thrush awakened useach morning at daybreak, and in work in the forests its loud callscame instantly at any disturbance, though the birds themselves wereshy and usually kept under cover. At times, however, they flew up
'? Ibid., p. 334.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS WETMOKE AND LINCOLN 51to perch near at hand with a flirt of wings and tail, but at any move-ment disappeared instantly into the nearest cover. In the high forestthey were found in growths of bracken that formed dense cover overthe ground. The natives here called them cuet cuet in imitation oftheir call notes. Four were taken in this region.These birds were seen in small numbers between San Juan andAzua, Dominican Republic, on May 7 and 19, and near L'Arcahaie,Haiti, on May 23.MYADESTES GENIBARBIS MONTANUS CoryHisPANioLAN SolitaireMyadestes monianus Cory, Bull. Nuttall Orn. Club, 1881, p. 130 (near FortJacques, above Petionville, Haiti).In the rain forest covering the Pic de Macaya we found the solitaireto be one of the common birds, ranging to the summit of the mountain.Males were in full song from April 13 to 20, and their clear notescame to us constantly through the day, constituting one of the mostwonderful bird songs that we have heard. The bird is always askilled musician, certain of his powers, uttering his flutelike notes witha clear precision that is as pleasing as the beautiful tones that theycarry to the ear. There is some variation in sound and expression,but all possess an unmistakable imprint and are identified as those ofa sohtaire without hesitation. We never tired of the constant repeti-tion of tills marvelous song from the hidden avian choir, and it con-stitutes one of our most vivid memories in connection with the dark,rain-drenched forests of this difficult mountain peak.In a series of ten that we collected, all in breeding condition, thereis only one female, males seemingly being much more curious andaggressive. Family DULIDAE, Palm-chatsDULUS DOMINICUS DOMINICUS (Linnaeus)Palm-chatTanagra dominica Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 316 (Hispaniola).In the suburban gardens of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the palm-chatwas as common in March and April of 1931 as Wetmore had found itin 1927. At Terrier Rouge we observed a few in the low forest of theMorne des Mammelles, where a breeding male was taken on March27. We found them at Aux Cayes on April 6, and on April 8 and 9observed colonies near Deron. On April 23 we saw one nest in a talldeciduous tree on the ridge near Amiel, below Desbarriere, and sawothers the following day near Les Glaces. From Trouin to Jacmel onMay 5 the birds were found in some numbers, and near Belladere on
52 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.83May 6 they were very common. They were found near San Juan,Dominican Repubhc, on May 7 and 19; near Las Cahobes, Haiti, onewas taken and many seen on May 20; and we found them at Thom-azeau on May 22, and at L'Arcahaie on May 23.Family VIREONIDAE, VireosVIREO OLIVACEUS OLIVACEUS (Linnaeus)Jamaican VireoMuscicapa olivacea Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 327 (Jamaica").This vireo is one of the most widely distributed woodland birds ofthe region here considered. In the north of Haiti we found it atDessalines, March 25; near Trou, March 26; and near Terrier Rouge,March 27 to 30. Birds collected were near breeding season. In theLa Hotte region these vireos were common, and after leaving AuxCayes we noted them regularly all along the mountain trails, thoughon the Pic de Macaya they were restricted to the lower slopes anddid not enter the dense rain forest, not being found on this mountainabove 1,300 meters altitude. At La Cour Z'Anglais they were espe-cially common, and we were awakened at dawn on April 23 by a loudchorus of song from these birds on the adjacent mountain slopes.On lie a Vache this vireo was common from April 2S to 30, and nearJacmel we found it on May 5. It was noted regularly from the high-way in crossing from Port-au-Princo to near Azua, Dominican Repub-lic, on May 6 and 7, and on May 9, 10, and 18 it was found nearBarahona. A few were noted on Beata Island. It was recorded nearL'Arcahaie, Haiti, on May 23.LAWREMCIA nana (LTwrence)Flat-billed VireoEmpidonax nanus Lawrence, Ibis, 1875, p. 386 (Dominican Republic).On the low elevation of the Morne des Mammelles, near TerrierRouge, Haiti, on March 27, attention was attracted by a trilling songthat Wetmore had heard at Sanchez in 1927, and, on following it up,in a few minutes he had in hand a specimen of the rare flat-billedvireo, which verified the supposition of 4 years earlier that the songin cpiestion must be that of this species. We found the bird fairlycommon in the semiarid forest there, and in all we obtained ninespecimens, taken on March 27 and 30. They ranged in low, denseforest where they moved about slowly, seldom far from the groundand occasionally on it, hopping or fluttering from perch to perch,in appearance and habit strongly suggestive of Bell's vireo. Aftereach move they rested quietly, turning the head slowly about to
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMOItE AND LINCOLN 53examine near-by leaves critically, and then continuing to anotherlocation. As they are small and inconspicuously colored they arethus difficult to see in the dense growths that they inhabit, and itwas only by following up their songs, and standing quietly for severalminutes to watch, that we could locate them. Their flight wasundulating.The song has a distinct resemblance to the trill of a pine warbler.One that was observed near at hand for several minutes sang withwings drooped, occasionally throwing the tail above the level of theback. Their call note resembled the syllable zhree uttered in a verylow tone, a distinctly vireonine call. Specimens taken were in breed-ing condition.From present information it appears that this species inhabitslow forests growing over limestone hills.Both sexes have pale, straw-yellow eyes.One of the specimens taken, collected by S. W. Parish, is a juvenilefemale in molt in first fall plumage, a few light brownish-olive feathersremaining on the crown and hind neck to indicate the color of theJuvenal dress. Wetmore " has remarked that there seemed to betwo color phases in this species, one in which the under surface isyellow and one in which it is white. From examination of this youngbird it develops that the supposed white phase is in reality the firstfall plumage, as the young bird has the feathers of the under surfacelargely white. The type specimen taken years ago by Gabb in theDominican Republic is white below and is therefore an immaturebird in first fall dress. The remaining skins in our series from TerrierRouge are all strongly suffused with yellow below.Family COEREBIDAE, Honey-creepersCOEREBA BANANIVORA BANANIVORA (Gmelin)HisPANioLAN Honey-creeperMotacilla bananivora Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 951 (Hispaniola).Near Trou, Haiti, we found this bird on March 26, and at TerrierRouge encountered it on March 27 and 28. In the La Hotte regionin April it was common in forested areas, and was one of the fewsmall birds that ranged in the wet forests of the Pic de Macaya tothe summit of the mountain. On lie a Vache it was very commonfrom April 28 to 30, and it seemed to us that the song was louderand more emphatic than that of the honey-creepers we had seenduring the previous week around La Hotte. Specimens taken, how-ever, in good series, do not seem to dift'er from those from the mainisland. One young bird, fully grown but in juvenile dress, was
11 U. S.Nat.Mus.Bull. 155, 1931, p. 358.
54 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol. S2
collected here, and we saw several adults that were nest building.On April 30 we collected one fresh egg from a nest in a bush only-two thirds of a meter from the ground. The nest was the usualball-shaped structure with the entrance beneath. The egg is dullwhite, marked with finely stippled spots of natal brown that mergeto form a band around the egg slightly above its center. This eggmeasures 17.7 by 12.2 mm.Near La Cienaga, 15 kilometers south of Barahona, the honey-creeper was common May 9, and from May 11 to 15 we found it innumbers on Beata Island and collected a series. Several were foundin the desert area north of Habanero on May 19.Family COMPSOTHLYPIDAE, Wood WarblersMNIOTILTA VARIA (Linnaeus)Black and White WarblerMotacilla varia Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 333 (Hispaniola)
.
The black and wliite warbler was observed on two occasions.On March 25, while near Dessalines, Haiti, we saw at least one andprobably two individuals, and on March 28, at Terrier Rouge, notedseveral along a dry wash.COMPSOTHLYPIS AMERICANA PUSILLA (Wilson)Northern Parula WarblerSylvia pusilla Wilson, Amer. Orn., vol. 4, 1811, p. 71, pi. 28, fig. 3 (easternPennsylvania).On April 4, at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a single parula warbler wasobserved in a large flamboyant tree in the yard at our hotel. It was incompany with several other v/arblers, chiefly Dendroica discolor.DENDROICA PETECmA ALBICOLI.IS (Gmelin)Hispaniolan Golden WarblerMotacilla alhicollis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 983 ("S. Dominici"==Hispaniola)
.
The golden warbler was recorded on lie a Vache, Haiti, where onApril 29 we had brief glimpses of two or three birds in a small man-grove swamp at the head of one of the bays. A pair was located onMay 23 in mangroves near L'Arcahaie, but attempt to obtain a speci-men was unsuccessful.On May 8 and 18, at Barahona, Dominican Republic, several wereseen on a small mangrove island near the sugar factory. In everycase the birds proved extremely elusive and difficult to locate. Theircharacteristic song is given chiefly early in the morning and to a lesserextent late in the afternoon.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 55DENDROICA TIGRINA (Gmelin)Cape May WarblerMolacilla tigrina Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 985 (Canada).The Cape May warbler was common as usual at suitable localitiesin Haiti. On March 27 one was taken at Terrier Rouge by S. W.Parish, and on the following day we found them common and collectedtwo in a dry arroyo through the mesquite. They were next observedon April 10, on the crest of the ridge (altitude 1,100 meters) atDesbarriere, where 30 or 40 were noted and two collected. One wasseen on April 12 at La Cour Z'Anglais.Our greatest surprise, however, was to find these warblers plentifuland in full song on lie a Vache from April 27 to 30, where we collectedseveral specimens. They were particularly numerous in the wildalmond trees that fringed the beach at Feret Bay. It was a matter forrepeated comment that on this little Caribbean island we heard thesong of tliis North American species manj' times each day, while inyears of observation in the vicinity of Washington, D.C., we had heardit only on two or three occasions, and then in weak and lisping formquite different from the finished song of the lie a Vache birds. Themusic of these handsome warblers heard constantly at our camp was infact one of the features of our work on this island. The night of April27 offered perfect conditions for migration, and on the follo\vingmorning there was a noticeable reduction in numbers among thesebirds.W. B. Alexander has brought to Wetmore's attention a record forthis species overlooked in previous work. This is found in Edwards's,Gleanings of Natural History, vol. 5, 1758, pi. 257, where a CapeMay warbler is shown in color from a specimen "taken Novem"" P* onthe Coast of Hispaniola, about ten Leagues from Land by Tho^ StackM. S. & F. R. S. in a Voj^age from London to Jamaica."DENDROICA CAERULESCENS CAERULESCENS (Gmelin)Black-throated Blue WarblerMotacilla caerulescens Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 960 ("S. Do-minici ' '= Hispaniola)
.
Black-throated blue warblers were noted regularly in Haiti fromMarch 30 to May 6. A fine male was seen on March 30 on Mornedes Mammelles, near Terrier Rouge; on April 9 one was observed nearthe crest of the pine ridge known as Bois Pin Lacadonis a short distanceeast of Bois Lacombe; three or four of both sexes were seen on April12 at La Cour Z'Anglais; from April 14 to 20 they were noted almostdaily on the slopes of Pic de Macaya from 900 meters up at least ashigh as 2,100 meters and probably ranged across the summit of themountain; a few were seen at Bois Lacombe on April 24 and a few near
56 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Camp Perrin on April 2G ; wliile tho last individual, a male, was notedMay 6, on the slopes of Morne a Cabrits.Curiously, most of those seen in the La Hotte region were females.On April 20 we recorded the fact that while several females wereobserved that day, we had not detected a male at any point on Pic deMacaya. DENDROICA DOMINICA DOMINICA (Linnaeus)Yellow-throated WarblerMotacilla dominica Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 334 (Hispaniola).On March 23, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a small flock of warblers wasobserved in the trees about the Hotel Splendide, among them at leastone yellow-throated warbler, which was singing, and it is probablethat there were others present. One was seen in Port-au-Prince onApril 4. Individuals also were seen or heard near Dessalines on March25, and on lie a Vache on April 29.DENDROICA PALMARUM PALMARUM (Graelin)Palm WarblerMotacilla pabnanim Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1. pt. 2, 1789, p. 951 ("S. Do-minici "= Republic of Haiti).The palm warbler was detected at Trou, Haiti, on March 26, and atTerrier Rouge, where two were seen on March 28.DENDROICA DISCOLOR DISCOLOR (VieiUot)Northern Prairie WarblerSylvia discolor Vieillot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Amer. Sept., vol. 2, 1807 (1809?), p. 37,pi. 98 (Eastern United States or Greater Antilles).In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 23 and 24, prairie warblers werefairly common, and their characteristic, ventriloquial song was heardfrequently. They were still present there on April 4.One was collected at Trou on March 26, and we found them plenti-ful in the mesquite at Terrier Rouge on March 28. At that pointthey were evidently gathering for migration, and the specimens takenwere excessively fat. They were heard singing there also. Part ofthose examined were undergoing a molt of the feathers of the throat.DENDROICA STRIATA (J. R. Forster)Black-poll WarblerMuscicapa striata J. R. Forster, Phil. Trans., vol. 62, 1772, pp. 406, 428 (FortSevern, west coast of Hudson Bay).The black-poll warbler was detected only on lie a Vache, Haiti,where several were seen and heard singing April 27 and 28 in the wildalmonds under which our camp was pitched.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 57SEIURUS AUROCAPILLUS AUROCAPILLUS (Linnaeus)OVENBIRDMotacilla aurocapillus Linnaeus, Sj'st. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 334 (at seaabout 30 miles from Hispaniola).The ovenbird was recorded in Haiti on the following occasions: Atleast one and probably two were seen at Terrier Rouge on March 28;one was taken on April 16 in the rain forest on Pic de Macaya at analtitude of about 1,500 meters; on April 24, while we were eatingbreakfast at Bois Lacombe, one sang its well-known ''teacher" songclose by our camp; and on April 30 one was observed on a woodedhillside on lie a Vache.SEIURUS NOVEBORACENSIS NOTABILIS RidgwayGrinnell's Water-thrushSeinrus naevius notabilis Ridgway, Proc.U.S.Nat.Mus., vol. 3, 1S80, p. 12 (shoresof Como Lake, Carbon County, Wyoming).Though no water-thrushes were seen during our work, in view ofthe little known of this race for Hispaniola it is pertinent to recordhere certain observations. In June 1930, through the kindness ofLord Rothschild, Wetmore examined the series of water-thrushesfrom the Dominican Republic in the collection of the Tring Museum,and among them identified two as of the race notabilis; viz, a maletaken by A. H. Verrill at Samana, Dominican Republic, on February6, 1907, and a female obtained by E. Kaempfer in the Yuna Swamps(probably near the mouth of the Rio Yuna opposite Sanchez) onOctober 22, 1922.MICROLIGEA PALUSTRIS VASTA Wetmore and LincolnBeata Ground WarblerMicroligea palustris vasta Wetmore and Lincoln, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington,vol. 44, Oct. 17, 1931, p. 121 (Beata Island, Dominican Republic).The discovery of a ground warbler of this type in the dry scrubs ofBeata Island was entirely unexpected, as the typical form, Microligeapalustris palustris, is found principally in the rain forests of the moun-tains of Hispaniola, where it inhabits thickets and dark ravines, andis observed with some difficulty. The Beata form was noted only inthe dense scrub of the interior of the island and was not observed inthe more open growth near the coast. It was common and in factwas one of the first small birds that we observed. As we walkedslowl}^ along a narrow trail early on the morning of May 11, alert forcreatures of any kind that might be strange to us, a small greenishbird with a gray head came hopping through the twigs of a tree andsinging a low song. A moment later it was in hand and was recog-nized instantly as a form new to science. These warblers proved to be
58 PROCEEDINGS 01' THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82common, so that during the few days of our stay we obtained a smallseries. They had considerable curiosity and came out on open limbsto peer about when interested. Their movements were slow andleisurely, and they were usually found in pairs, being evidently nearthe breeding season. The song resembled whee whee whee given in alow tone, and their calls, also low, were querulous and complaining.On our return from Beata we were astonished to obtain two speci-mens in the desert area north of the Rio Yaque del Sur, beyondHabanero, which brought to attention an early record of one skincollected by Dr. W. L. Abbott at Trujin, on the coast south of Enri-quillo, on February 11, 1922. These three skins are distinctly of thepaler coloration that characterizes the bird of Beata, and appear tobe within the range of color variation for that race. They are identi-fied at tliis time as vasta with the suggestion that further specimensbe obtained for comparison when practicable, as with extensive ma-terial the main island skins might prove separable. It may be notedthat the skin from Trujin, listed by Wetmore ^^ in earlier studieswith a series of the typical race, is an immature individual with thegreenish wash on the fore portion of the body usual in birds in thisstage, so that because of this masking of the paler markings its differ-ences were entirely overlooked in previous examination.In the collections of the American Museum of Natural History thereis a series of six adult birds of this species collected by R. H. Beck atSanto Domingo City, September 28 and October 5, 6, 7, 9, and 16,1917, that are somewhat brighter green on the back than adult speci-mens from the interior mountains, and are also slightly lighter grayon the head. They thus show a slight approach to the paler colorationcharacteristic of M. jp. vasta but are nearer to true jpalustris. Twoimmature skins from the same locality agree with the adults in thisslight difference.Microligea palustris vasta differs from typical M. p. palustris inbeing decidedly paler, both above and below, and in having the undersurface with the white of the breast and abdomen more extensive,and the sides and flanks distinctly lighter. The gray of the crown andhindneck is paler and the green of the back, rump, and wing is lighter.M. p. vasta is slightly smaller. Following is the description of the typespecimen of vasta:Type, U.S.N.M. No. 327859, male adult, collected on Beata Island,Dominican Repubhc, May 13, 1931, by A. Wetmore and F. C. Lincoln(orig. no. 8741). Crown, hindneck, and upper back storm gray;auricular region smoke gray; a white spot on upper and lower eyelids,and a slight mixture of white in lores producing a faintly indicatedstreak or line; back, rump, wing coverts, and exposed edges of second-aries and inner primaries between mignonette green and Kronberg'sgreen, primaries otherwise dusky, the outer ones edged with olive-
" Wetmore and Swales, U.S.Nat.Mus. Bull. 155, 1931, p. 395.
^KT. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS WETMORE AND LINCOLN 59gray; exposed webs of rectrices Kronberg's green, hidden portionsduller; sides and flanks pale smoke gray, merging into pale olive-grayacross upper chest, with throat, lower chest, abdomen, and under tail-coverts whitish; bill dusky mixed with whitish on center of lowermandible; tarsus blackish slate (from dried skin).Measurements of our series are as follows:Males (7 specimens): Wing 60.3-66.4 (63.1), tail 51.5-65 (59.6),culmen from base 13.9-15.3 (14.5), tarsus 19.5-21.4 (20.6) mm.Females (10 specimens): Wing 56.1-67.8 (60.7), tail 58-64.5 (61),culmen from base 14-15.4 (14.4), tarsus 19.3-21.5 (20.3) mm.Type, adult male: Wing 66.4, tail 63.5, culmen from base 14,tarsus 21 mm. MICROLIGEA MONTANA ChapmanChapman's Ground WarblerMicroligea tnontana Chapman, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 37, May 14,1917, p. 330 (Loma Tina, Provincia de Azua, Dominican Republic).In the rain forests of the Pic de Macaya this warbler was fairlycommon from April 14 to 20, and a series of six was taken. The birdswere most numerous from 1,300 to 1,800 meters, and were foundusually in pairs feeding through the branches of low trees.GEOTHLYPIS TRICHAS BRACHIDACTYLA (Swainson)Northern YellowthroatTrichas brachidacfylus Swainson, Animals in menageries, 1838, p. 295 (northernprovinces of United States).At Terrier Rouge, Haiti, on March 28, we saw a number of yellow-throats and collected two which belong to the present race. Theywere found again in the La Hotte region, but as none were collectedallocation of records under the present race is on basis of probability.On April 7, between GefFrard and Deron, they were very commonwherever there were openings in the forest, being found especially onthe cultivated slopes above Les Glaces. On April 8 a few were seen atDeron, on April 9 we found them on the ridge of Bois Pin Lacadonis,on April 10 and 24 at Bois Lacombe, and on April 12 at La CourZ'Anglais. On the Pic de Macaya they were found in numbers fromApril 13 to 21 in weed patches in the plantations below the rain forests,as well as over the summit of the peak in the great expanses of brackenthat grew beneath the pines. On lie a Vache several were recorded onApril 28 and 29. SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA (Linnaeus)RedstartMoiacilla ruticilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 186 (Virginia).The redstart was first observed at Terrier Rouge on March 28.In the La Hotte region, where it was fairly common, we found it at
60 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82Donte, April 7; Deron, April 8 (adult male taken) ; Bois Pin Lacadonis,April 9; Desbarriere, April 10; La Cour Z'Anglais, April 12; Pic deMacaya, April 16, 18, and 19 (female taken); and Bois Lacombe,April 24. On Macaya they were not observed above 1,500 meterselevation. On lie a Vache we observed two on April 29 and one onApril 30. Near Belladere we recorded an adult male on May 6.A representation of this species is found in Edwards's Gleanings ofNatural History, vol. 5, 1758, pi. 257, taken from a specimen securedby Thomas Stack on November 1, 1751, about 10 leagues from thecoast of Hispaniola.Family PLOCEIDAE, Weaver FinchesTEXTOR CUCULLATUS CUCULLATUS (Mul!er)Black and Yellow Mantled WeaverbirdOriolus cucullatus P. L. S. Muller, Vollst. Natursyst., Suppl., 1776, p. 87 (Sene-gal).Our investigations have given some additional data on the distri-bution of this introduced species. On March 31 we saw several nearPont de I'Estere, Haiti, and collected one. On May 5 we observeda nesting colony near a house 2 kilometers north of Trouin. NearThomazeau on May 22 v/e found two colonies, one in an enclosed yardabove a native house and the other in a tree top at the border of aroad not far from the fitang Saumatre. One young bird about aweek old that fell from a nest and a series of adults were taken.Flocks were noted feeding through the open pastures. BetweenPort-au-Prince and L'Arcahaie on May 23, several nesting colonieswere observed, and little flocks of the birds were found scatteredthrough the dry scrub growth along the highway. The adult malesare particularly striking in appearance, their brilliant colors showingespecially to advantage when the birds are on the wing.These weavers seemed appreciably more abundant than they were4 years previously.Family ICTERIDAE, Blackbirds and TroupialsAGELAIUS HUMERAUS (Vigors)Tawny-shouldered BlackbirdLeistes hiimeralis Vigors, Zool. Journ., vol. 3, Nov. 1827, p. 442 (near Havana,Cuba).These blackbirds were detected only once, on March 31, at Pontde I'Estere, Haiti, when an adult female was collected and anotherseen. Tliis locality is on the plains a short distance north of theArtibonite, and is the region in which the species was first discovered.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 61The two seen were in low mesquite trees in a dry pasture severalhundred yards from the Estere River. Attention was attracted tothem by a redwinglike call, and it was noted that they jerked thetail and flitted the wings in a fashion characteristic of this genus.ICTERUS DOMINICENSIS (Linnaeus)HisPANioLAN OrioleOriolus dominicensis Linnaeus, Sj'st. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 163 ("Domi-nioa "==Hispaniola)
.
The Hispaniolan oriole was recorded rather generally in the re-gions that we traversed, although it was not seen in the higher alti-tudes of the La Hotte region, on lie a Vache, nor on Beata Island.We observed a few on March 25 near Limbe and Plaisance, Haiti.At Terrier Rouge, Haiti, March 27 to 30, several were seen on theslopes of Morne des Mammelles, and along a dry arroyo through themesquite. A specimen was taken there on March 28. The oriolewas noted further at Deron, April 24; at Las Cahobes, May 20; atThomazeau, May 22 (specimen); and at L'Arcahaie, May 23. OnMay 7, and again on May 19, we observed several in the arid sectionbetween San Juan and Barahona, Dominican Republic. A specimenwas taken on May 9 at La Cienaga, about 15 kilometers south ofBarahona. The birds were observed there in pairs and were seen onseveral occasions flying for considerable distances with quickly un-dulating flight above the trees. A female in first-j^ear plumage,with black only on the throat and occasional scattered feathers onthe lower surface, taken on May 22, was laying.The late Dr. Charles W. Richmond has called attention to Pendulinusviridis Vieillot, ^^ described from "Saint-Domingue", which appliesin the synonymy of Icterus dominicensis (Linnaeus), the species hereunder consideration. This was overlooked in the account by Wet-more and Swales in their work on the Birds of Haiti and the DominicanRepublic. HOLOQUISCALUS NIGER NIGER (Boddaert)Hispaniolan GrackleOriolus niger Boddaert, Table Planches Enl., 1783, p. 31 (Hispaniola).In the vicinity of the delightful residence of R. L. Pettigrew, atTerrier Rouge, Haiti, we found this bird fairly common from March27 to 30. Several usually could be seen about the lawns and gardensin much the same manner as purple or bronzed grackles. They alsowere noted near Dessahnes, Limbe, and Cap-Haitien on March 25.On our trip into the mountains of the Tiburon Peninsula they wererecorded at Deron, April 8; between Deron and Bois Pin Lacadonis,
>3 Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 5, 1810, p. 321.
62 PROCEEDINGS OP THE NATIONAL MUSEUM ivol. *2April 9; at La Cour Z'Anglais, April 12 and 23; and at Les Glaces,April 24. At the last point we camped for the night on a grassybench above the river, and had numbers of grackles around usthroughout our stay. It was always something of a surprise to findthem in heavy tree growth above the coffee plantations. Thespecies was very common on lie a Vache, April 27 to 30, and a fewwere seen near L'Arcahaie, May 23.Grackles were observed regularly along our road from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Barahona, Dominican Republic, on May G and 7,and on the return trip on May 19 and 20. They were common atBarahona on May 9, and a few were found in the scrub near the coaston Beata Island, May 10 to 15. A few specimens obtained at thispoint are in worn dress and have lost much of the gloss on the dorsalsurface that is so prominent in birds in fresh plumage.Family THRAUPIDAE, TanagersSPINDAUS DOMINICENSIS (Bryant)HiSPANIOLAN SpINDALISTanagra dominicensis Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 11, May 1867p. 92 (Hispaniola).This tanager was among the most conspicuous of the smaller birdsof the La Hotte region during our work there in April. We observedit first after leaving GefFrard on April 7, and on our return on April 26recorded it in small numbers as far as the region between Post Avanceand Camp Perrin. At our camxp on Pic de Macaya tliis was the mostabundant bird, ranging from an altitude of 900 meters over the slopesof the mountain to the summit. In the native plantations it wasfound among growths of low bushes and weeds, and it was continuallyin evidence in the shrubbery and bush grov/ths about our camp. Inthe forest the spindalis ranged through the upper branches of thedeciduous trees and was the most active member of the forest avi-fauna, so that any small bird in the tree tops that was not clearly seenwas almost certain on investigation to be this species. The periodof our work was the beginning of the breeding season, and we heardthese birds giving low, sibilant songs in addition to their low calls.They were seen feeding on pokeberries.In our series of 16 specimens there are two males taken on April 18and 20 that are molting from a dull immature plumage, resemblingthat of the female, into bright adult dress.Wetmore and Swales ^^ listed this species under the name Spindalismulticolor (Vieillot),'^ having overlooked the fact that Bangs and
" U.S.Nat.Mus.BuU. 155, 1931, p. 414." Tanagra miilticUor Vieillot, Tableau Enc. Meth., vol. 2, 1823, p. 775 ("Florides, les iles Bahama 3t daSaint-Domingue ")
.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 63Penard ^^ were correct in indicating that Vieillot's name applies tothe spindahs of the Bahamas. On checking over Vieillot's account,it is found that his description is that of the Bahaman bird, since itis indicated throughout that the species described has a black back,Spindalis zena of the Bahamas being the only species of the genuswith this marking. The form of Hispaniola must therefore beknown as Spindalis dominicensis (Bryant).PHAENICOPHILUS POLIOCEPHALUS POLIOCEPHALUS (Bonaparte)Gray-crowned Palm TanagerDulus poliocephalus Bonaparte, Rev. Mag. Zool., 1S51, p. 178 (Haiti).On April 11 we observed two of these birds in thickets near theriver at La Cour Z'Anglais, and from April 13 to 20 recorded them asfairly common on the slopes of the Pic de Macaya, where they rai:igedfrom the forest border above our camp to the summit of the mountain.They were found in the upper tree branches, where the}^ workedactively about in search of food. Four specimens were secured.Others were seen at Bois Lacombe on April 24, and on April 25 and26 we found them along the trail between Les Glaces and Post Avance.PHAENICOPHILUS POLIOCEPHALUS TETUAOPES Wetmore and LincolnIle A Vache Palm TanagerPhaenicophilus poliocephalus telraopes Wetmore and Lincoln, Auk, vol. 491932, p. 36 (lie a Vache, Haiti).In the study of the palm tanagers obtained on lie a Vache by theParish Expedition of 1930, ^" it appeared that these birds were some-what different from those of the adjacent Tiburon Peninsula, butwith only one adult and two immature birds at hand the charactersthat mark this race were not clearly evident. With this in mind wemade definite effort to collect specimens, and between April 28 and 30we secured seven adult birds. These are sufficient to demonstratethat the bird of lie a Vache differs from P. p. poliocephalus in havingthe gray of the upper surface, crown, and hind-neck lighter, the dorsalsurface lighter green, and the abdomen more whitish. The bill isslightly longer. Curiously enough the paler coloration of this newrace is in the direction of P. p. coryi of Gonave Island, but as this ison the opposite side of the Tiburon Peninsula there can be no definiteconnection between the two. One bird in the Abbott collections fromGrande Cayemite Island shows some approach to P. p. tetraopes inlighter coloration, but it can have no direct connection since thislocality likewise is on the north side of the Tiburon Peninsula, oppositeGonave.
" Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 67, June 1925, p. 207." Proc.U.S.Nat.Mus., vol. 81 , art. 2, July 22, 1932, p. 39.
64 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol. 82Following is a description of the type specimen:Type, U.S.N.M. No. 327924, male adult, in slightly worn plumage,collected on lie a Vache, Haiti, April 28, 1931, by A. Wetmore andF. C. Lincoln (orig. no. 8637). Anterior portion of crown, lores,?andsides of head black, with white spots on each side of forehead, andon both upper and lower e3^elids; posterior portion of crown andhind-neck neutral gray; back and scapulars warbler green; rump andupper tail-coverts similar with the feathers tipped lightly with pyriteyellow; wing feathers dusky brown, with exposed portions warblergreen, edged externally with pyrite yellow; wing coverts warblergreen, edged with pyrite yellow; chin white with this color extendingback as a broad malar stripe on each side of the throat; under surfaceneutral gray washed with whitish on the abdomen and median undertaU-coverts ; bend of wing pyrite yellow; under wing-coverts lightmouse gray, with the feathers edged with whitish. Bill black, becom-ing slate color at the base of the lower mandible; tarsus and toesblackish slate (from dried skin).The series available has the following measurements:Males (four specimens): Wing 82.2-90.5 (85.9), tail 69.5-72.8,(70.8), culmen from base 20-20.8 (20.2), tarsus 22.3-23.7 (23) mm.Females (four specimens): Wing 81.4-83.7 (82.5), tail 67.5-69.5(68.7), culmen from base 19.5-21.2 (20.3), tarsus 21-22.8 (21.9) mm.Type, male: Wing 85.9, tail 72.8, culmen from base 20, tarsus 23.6mm.The four-eyes, as this bird is called locally, was found in thicketsfeeding through the branches or near the ground indifTerently. Whilesprightly in actions, at times it appeared rather indolent, movingslowly with frequent pauses.PHAENICOPHILUS PALMARUM PALMARUM (Linnaeus)HisPANiOLAN Palm TanageuTurdus palmarum Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 295 (Hispaniola).This palm tanager was seen at Dessalines on March 25, and atTrou the following day a breeding female was taken. Near TerrierRouge, from March 27 to 30, they were common in areas grown withthickets, and two more specimens were collected. They have con-siderable curiosity and often come near to peer at an intruder or toscold at some snake or other animal that worries them. We saw onenear Miragoane on April 5.On May 6 we recorded one at Las Matas, and between San Juanand Azua on May 7 saw several. Between Barahona and San Juanon May 19 we recorded a number and took one north of Haba-nero. On May 23 near L'Arcahaie we found them fairl}^ common andcollected one young bird in juvenal plumage.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS?WETMORE AND LINCOLN 65TANAGRA MUSICA (Gmelin)HiSPANIOLAN EUPHONIAPipra musica Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 1004 (Hispaniola)
.
We recorded this handsome little tanager only in the forests of theLa Hotte region, where its presence was oftener indicated by itswhistled calls than bj^ sight of the bird itself. It was first recordednear Donte on April 7. Near Deron on April 8 and 9 it was fairlycommon, and it was found between that point and Desbarriere onApril 9 and 10. On the slopes of the Pic de Macaya it was recordedfrom an elevation of 900 meters to the summit of the mountain, and amated pair was taken here on April 18. We found it near Les Glaceson April 24, and the following day recorded it from the traU as faras Post Avance. CALYPTOPHILUS TERTIUS TERTIUS WetinoreLa Hotte Chat-tanagerCalyptophilus tertius Wetmore, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 81, no. 13, May 15,1929, p. 2 (higher slopes of La Hotte, Haiti).On April 12, Wetmore had a view of one of these chat-tanagers onthe slopes of Pic de Macaya at an elevation of 1,000 meters, betweenLa Cour Z'Anglais and our camp above Caye Godet. The bird wasin a steep-sided gulch near the border of forest. We searched forothers carefully in the area that we covered near our camp but v\^erenot successful in finding them.Family FRINGILLIDAE, Grosbeaks, Sparrows, Finches, andBuntingsTIARIS OUVACEA OLIVACEA (Linnaeus)Yellow-faced GrassquitEmberiza olivacea Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 309 (Hispaniola).This grassquit is one of the common lowland birds of Hispaniola,found abundantly through the cultivated fields but not occurringin regions of forest. Between Ennery and Plaisance many wereseen on March 25 feeding in patches of grass along the road, and thefollowing day we observed it at Trou. At Post Avance we found iton April 6, and recorded it also at Bois Lacombe, April 11; La CourZ'Anglais, April 12 and 22; and Les Glaces, April 24. Many wereobserved between Camp Perrin and Aux Cayes on April 26. On lie kVache on April 29 we collected two adult males and found a nearlyfinished nest in the side of a clump of grass half a meter above theground.
66 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82On May 5 many were observed between Port-au-Prince and Jacmel,the birds being especially common where the highway led throughcanefields. On May 6 and 7, and again on May 19 and 20, they wereseen regularly along the road between Port-au-Prince and Barahona.They were common near L'Arcahaie on May 23.TIARIS BICOLOR MARCHH (Baird)March's GrassquitPhonipara Marchii Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1863, p. 297(Jamaica)
.
Near Terrier Rouge, Haiti, these birds were common through thedry scrubs and four were collected on March 27 and 28. We sawthem at Donte on April 7, and collected one and observed others atLa Cour Z'Anglais on April 12. One was recorded on lie a Vache onApril 29. On May 20 we observed these birds in fair numbers alongthe highway between San Juan, Dominican Republic, and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. LOXIGILLA VIOLACEA AFFINIS (Ridgway)Hispaniolan BullfinchPyhrrulagra affinis " (Baird) " Ridgway, Auk, 1898, p. 322 (Port-au-Prince, Haiti).In northern Haiti we first encountered the bullfinch on March 26near Trou, where we observed half a dozen and collected a breedingmale. Near Terrier Rouge these birds were common from March 27to 30, being noted especially in the scrub on the Morne des Mammelles.Here we collected five specimens. In the humid La Hotte region thebullfinch was even more abundant, being observed between Geffrardand Donte, April 7; at Bois Lacombe, April 10; and between Des-barriere and La Cour Z'Anglais, April 12. On the Pic de Macaya thiswas one of the common birds from April 14 to 22, ranging through therain forest to the summit of the mountain. On our way out we foundit at Bois Lacombe on April 23 and Les Glaces on April 24, and lateron May 6, observed it along the highway between Belladere and SanJuan, Dominican Republic.The period of our work in the La Hotte area was seemingly thebreeding season for this form, as its pleasant, whistled song, in toneand utterance suggestive of the cardinal of the Southern United States,was heard regularly and was in fact the earliest bird voice of themorning that frequently aroused us at daybreak when we were campedin the forest, or in native huts surrounded by shrubbery. The songwas continued for an hour or more in early morning and was heardoccasionally during the day, being especially attractive in an areawhere comparatively few birds were pleasing songsters.
ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS^WETMORE AND LINCOLN 67LOXIGILLA VIOLACEA PARISHI WetmoreParish's BullfinchLoxigilla violacea parishi Wetmore, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 44, Feb. 21,1931, p. 27 (lie ^ Vache, Haiti).During our work on lie k Vache we collected five specimens of thisbullfinch on April 28 and 30, including three males and two birds inimmature dress. These exhibit the average difi'erence in smallersize that distinguish this race from L. v. qffinis of adjacent Haiti.The three males have the following measurements: Wing, 69, 72, 74.5
;
tail, 64.7, 64.8, 64.8; culmen from base, 14.5, 14.7, 15.3; tarsus, 20.3,20.5, 22.1 mm. The largest of these is equal to the smallest speci-mens of L. V. affinis, but the average of that race is distinctly larger,and no bird seen from the main island is equivalent to the smallerskins from lie a Vache. With its circumscribed insular range parishimay be maintained as distinct.During our work on Beata Island, from May 11 to 15, we found bull-finches common, and collected a series of seven birds, including fourmales, one female, and two immature individuals. On examination itis found that these have the small average size of parishi and areidentified as of that race. Though this may at first sight seem hardlyprobable, it will be recalled that both lie a Vache and Beata lie on thesouth coast of Hispaniola and in reality are not far apart. It may beconsidered that on these two islands there is maintained a small racethat formerly was more widely distributed. The two immature birdsfrom Beata are molting into adult dress and have only a part of theimmature plumage remaining, this part being distinctly lighter in colorthan juvenile dress in other specimens examined, including those fromlie a Vache. In view of the arid conditions that hold on Beata Island,with intense sunlight, it seems probable that this paler coloration isdue to fading, and it is thus interpreted. Following are measurementsof the four males from Beata: Wing, 71.6, 72.2, 73.1, 74.6; tail, 57.5,60, 61, 62.4; culmen from base, 14.5, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9; tarsus, 20.1,20.7, 20.8, 21.7 mm. Here again there is approach to the smallestdimension found in L. v. affinis, but the average and the smaller speci-mens from Beata are similar to those from lie a Vache.On lie a Vache these birds were fairly common in thickets and lowwoodland,seeldng heavy cover and ordinarily remaining under conceal-ment. On Beata they were more numerous and, though they remainedunder shelter, were called out where they could be observed withoutdifficulty. We commented frequently during our work there thatthough this was the breeding season the only songs that we heardfrom these birds were low and sibilant, quite different from the clear,whistled efforts of their main-island neighbors. It is possible, ofcourse, that the usual song was given at dawn as our camp was on
68 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol. 82, art. 25]the shore, a httle distance from the usual haunt of the bullfinches,but if this were true it is curious that we did not detect it, since wewere out at daybreak daily and even when at camp were within hear-ing distance of the scrubs inhabited by these finches.On May 15 we found a nest placed in a thorn bush a little morethan a meter from the ground. The nest was relatively large, wasdeeply cupped, and was constructed of grass and weed stems thatwere arched up to form a dome over the top so that the interior wascompletely shaded. It contained four fresh eggs, with the groundcolor decidedly lighter than pale glaucous-green, spotted finely withwarm sepia, the spots being more or less confluent at the larger poleof the egg and there forming a wreath. The eggs measure 22.4 by14.7, 22.4 by 15, 23 by 14.3, and 23.4 by 15 mm.Another nest that had just been completed was located in a busha little more than half a meter above the ground and was of similarconstruction, with the top partly covered,AMMODRAMUS SAVANNARUM INTRICATUS HartertDominican Grasshopper Sparrowmmodramus savannarum intricatus Hartert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 19, Apr.29, 1907, p. 73 (El Valle, Dominican Republic).Our first view of the grasshopper sparrow came on May 20, whenwe saw one or two by the highway a short distance west of San Juan,Dominican Repubhc. Later that same day, in a rolling prairie regioneast of Las Cahobes, Haiti, we located two small colonies and collectedfour birds in fine adult plumage. They were distributed through areasof grass growing on hill slopes and flew out to alight in guava bushesnear the ground or to drop back again into the grass.
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