286 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



tains on the ledges of rocks. The male does not appear to take any part in 

 the work of incubation, as I have never seen more than one bird near a nest- 

 ing place, and I am sure I have seen the nuptial contact performed on the 

 wing. Two eggs are generally laid, yet seldom more than one is found at any 

 spot. If the nest be disturbed, the bird will remove the egg in its mouth to 

 another spot at a distance ; this I have seen done several times on the Salina, 

 at Great Salt Pond. The eggs are oblong oval, resembling dark colored 

 pebbles, varying in size. I have noted several varying from 1 by |, to 1 yg 

 by one inch ; they are grey stone color, dashed all over with Vandyke brown 

 and grey slaty marbling, but they differ a great deal in the shades of color. 



214. Chokdeiles minor. (C. virginianus, Gosse.) Wherever the C. popetue 

 is found, there the small Piramidig will be seen in company. Their habits 

 and nidification are alike, the only differences I have observed being in the 

 size of the bird, the length of the wing, and the eggs ; these latter vary in 

 form and coloring as much as those of the large night hawk ; they measure 

 1 3-16ths by a trifle over of an inch, some rather more or less ; they are some- 

 times grayish or bluish white, clouded all over or on the smaller half only 

 with bistre-brown and slaty marbling. The egg mentioned by Mr. Gosse, 

 (p. 40), probably belonged to this species. The dimensions of the bird are, 

 length 8 8J- inches ; expanse 19 19$ inches ; flexure 6| inches. 



190. Siphonornis americanus, Sclater. (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1861, 77.) The 

 first I saw of this bird was a specimen from near Linstead, St. Thomas in the 

 vale. It was one of a pair that were lying lengthwise on a lateral branch 

 of a dead tree, crouched closely to the branch. One was shot, and the other 

 flew into a thick foliaged Mango tree close by, where it concealed itself so 

 effectually that it could not be detected though a strict search was made for 

 it. I am informed they are often met with in the Saint Catharine Hills. 



11. Nyctibius jamaicensis. The common Potoo is widely distributed 

 throughout the Island, in the plains as well as in the highlands. It is said 

 to lay on the ground two eggs, larger, but very like those of the Clwrdeiles. I 

 have never met with either nest or eggs. 



12. Nyctibius pallidus. The white-headed Potoo is a mountain bird, and 

 more rare than the preceding. 



189. Nyctibius .The tawny brown Potoo is of frequent occur- 



rence in the cool glades and gullies of the lower hills ; it is rather smaller 



than the common Potoo , possibly immature individuals of that 



species. The plumage is grayish white marked with reddish brown. I have 

 never seen it far from the foot of the hills. It is sometimes found on the banks 

 of the Rio Cobre, above Spanish Town. 



The two American Antrostomi are said to be found in the Island, but I have 

 never seen or heard a specimen of either. 



CYPSELIDJB. 



13. Ch.etura collaris. (Acanthylis collaris, Gosse.) This species is abund- 

 ant in some parts of the island, but they are seldom seen, except in overcast, 

 cloudy weather, or immediately before or after rain, towards evening ; when 

 they leave their cavernous retreats, in the rocky ranges of hills in which they 

 are domiciled, to feed on the insects brought out by the damp atmosphere. 

 The localities in which I have often seen these martins are in the neighbor- 

 hood of the Ferry and Healthshire in St. Catharine, and on the line between 

 St. Ann's and St. Mary's and St. Thomas' in the Vale, and there they are 

 seen, on a fine evening after the rain, with some other species of Hirundines, 

 skimming over the adjacent plains and fields, attracted by the myriads of in- 

 sects ; they are either wholly or in part resident during the entire year, and 



[Nov. 



