68 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



have a specimen shot in October, 18G3, from the ridge of a house top at 

 Heed's Pen ; the dimensions are, length 12 inches, expanse nearly 24, flex- 

 ure GJ ; tail, graduated, 3.j ; bill 1 ; thigh 2\ ; leg not quite 2; middle toe 

 with claws \ of an inch, hind toe small. Bill dark brown, lower mandible 

 yelow, except at the point ; legs greenish yellow ; upper plumage dark 

 brown, feathers edged with tawny, lower part of the back and rump without 

 the edging ; central tail feathers same as the upper plumage ; side feathers 

 tawny, with blackish transverse bars, and irregular subterininal blotches ; 

 ohin and stripe over the eye white ; throat with blackish marblings, under 

 parts yellowish white, clearer on the belly ; breast and sides with transverse 

 bars of brownish black ; wing quills blackish brown, banded on the inner webs 

 with dull white ; shaft of the first quill white, under wing coverts white, 

 with narrow bands of brownish black. 



Mr. Go3se gives Tringoides macularius as found on the island. 



12G. Gambetta melanoleoca. The Tell-tale. 

 125. " flavipes. The Yellow-shanks. 



122, 123. Ereunetes petrificatus. (E. pusillus.) The Sandpiper. These 

 three Snipes are also annual visitors, arriving in considerable numbers in the 

 autumn, but I have not met with any during the summer. 



120. Numewius longikostris. The brown Curlew is often found in paire 

 among the mangrove swamps on the coast during the entire year, but more 

 frequently on the small sandy kays to the west of Healthshire and near Old 

 Harbour, where is also the common haunts of the two species of the Ibis. 

 They breed in the reeds, rushes and tall marsh grass on the borders of the 

 creeks and swamps; the eggs are four, larger at one end and obtusely pointed 

 at the other, measuring 2 yg by l}g ; they are greenish or olive green, with 

 blotches and splashes of dark umber and greenish brown.* 



There is another bird found in the mountain^, which I take to be a Curlew ; 

 it is much smaller than the preceding, and has a short bill ; the upper plu- 

 mage is also darker, and the under parts rusty white. It is prevalent in 

 the north eastern parishes, about the mountain streams. (Perhaps N. borc- 

 alis.) 



Iu November, 1826, I had a specimen of a Woodcock, shot on the race- 

 course near Spanish Town, but I have not since met with it. It was supposed 

 to be Philokela minor. I have only a slight recollection, and the following 

 note of it : Length not quite 12 inches ; wing rounded ; bill straight, enlarged 

 at the end; general color pale rufous, shaded ashy and darker rufous. 



RALLWsE. 



The Coot, in common with the two Gallinules, is found abundant in the 

 lagoons, marshes and ponds in all parts of the island, highlands as well a3 

 lowlands ; particularly where there is a thick growth of reeds, rushes and 

 water plants to afford them cover. The nidification of the three is very simi- 

 lar ; a platform of sticks, filled in and lined with decaying leaves, rushes, 

 water grass (ceratophyllum) and other water weeds, constructed in the tall 

 reeds and vegetable growth on the margin of the water. In the lagoons the 

 platform is often built on the interwoven roots of the black mangrove, and 

 composed principally of the decaying pods of the same tree ; they breed twice 

 and probably oftener in the year, commencing in March ; the eggs of all vary 

 considerably in size, but are pretty regular in form and measure, from 2 to 

 *?.\, by If to 1$ of an inch. (The flesh of all makes excellent game soup, if di- 

 vested of the skin, which, when left on, gives the dish a rank or fishy flavor). 



# (By Mr. Hill ) J am not surf- wbetber the brown Curlew is not the bird that influxes the upper 

 Nil, Numenius, and uot Ibis. 



[March 



