Ch. YII.] AYOODPECKERS AND MOT-MOTS. 123 



traversing the forests in flocks of hundreds together, 

 belonging to more than a score different species ; so that 

 whilst they are passing over, the trees seern alive with them. 

 Mr. Bates has mentioned similar gregarious flocks met 

 with by him in Brazil ; and I never went any distance into 

 the woods around Santo Domingo without seeing them. 

 The reason of their association together may be partly for 

 protection, as no rapacious bird or mammal could approach 

 the flock without being discovered by one or other of them, 

 but the principal reason appears to be that they play into 

 each other's hands in their search for food. The creepers 

 and woodpeckers and others drive the insects out of their 

 hiding-places under bark, amongst moss, and in withered 

 leaves. The fly-catchers and trogons sit on branches, and 

 fly after the larger insects, the fly- catchers taking them 

 on the wing, the trogons from off the leaves on which 

 they have settled. In the breeding season, the trogons 

 are continually calling out to each other, and are thus 

 easily discovered. They are called "viduas," that is, 

 " widows," by the Spaniards. 



Woodpeckers are often seen along with the hunting 

 flocks of birds, especially a small one (Centrums pucker ani, 

 Mahl), with red and yellow head and speckled back. 

 This species feeds on fruits, as well as on grubs taken out 

 of dead trees. A large red-crested species is common 

 near recently-made clearings, and I successively met with 

 one of an elegant chocolate-brown colour, and another 

 brown with black spots on the back and breast, with a 

 lighter- coloured crested head (Celeus castaneus, Wagl.). 



Of the mot-mots, I met with four species in the forest, 

 all more or less olive green in colour (Momotus martil 

 and lessom, and Prionyrhynchus carinatus &n.d. plafyrhyn- 



