396 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



ashy-blue backs, and others were black swallows. I observed and heard 

 several flocks pass over in September of 1862, but they were too high to re- 

 cognize. 



43. Cottle eipakia. The Bank Swift has been obtained fromSt. Elizabeth, 

 and figured by Mr. Hill. 



CCEREBIDJS. 



21. Certhiola flaveola. The Banana Quit builds a domed nest in low 

 trees or shrubs, seldom more than five or six feet from the ground, often se- 

 lecting a branch close to a door or window, or frequented path, and their 

 nests with eggs or young are found at all seasons. In the country they are 

 composed of soft grass and down interwoven ; some are elaborately covered 

 on the outside with down ; in the towns and near homesteads, the exterior 

 is often studded with scraps of rags and cotton ; one taken from the low 

 branches of an Erythroxylon is ornamented on the outside with the dry flower- 

 ing stems of a scandent Boerhaevia : the interior of each is, however, lined 

 with grass and fibre only. They lay three, rarely four eggs, variable in size 

 and coloring ; the dimensions are from 7-16ths by 5-16ths, to ll-16ths by 

 9-16ths of an inch ; the ground color varies from pure white to neutral tint, 

 whilst others are reddish ; they are splashed with various shades of brown or 

 reddish-brown spots, often confluent in a circle or a ring round the larger end, 

 with pale slaty spots beneath. This species, as well as the several grass 

 Finches seem to have a predilection for nestling on the same bushes with the 

 common wasp, and the nests are more often found iu the different species of 

 Oereus and other thorny plants. 



65. Glossiptila ruficollis. (Tanagrella ofGosse.) The Orange Quit is 



altogether a mountain bird. It buiids a deep, coarsely formed cup of grass 

 and fibre intermixed, sometimes with the stems of small ferns and wiry 

 moss. The eggs ace 4; ll-16ths by 9-16ths of an inch, white, speckled with 

 dull-reddish spots, inclined to be confluent at the large end. I have this year, 

 1863, obtained eggs of this species, identified with the bird, particularly one 

 nest taken from a mass constructed by the black Shrike, and these answer to 

 the description in my note, and show that the eggs in the first collection do 

 not belong to the species. 



TANAGRIDJE. 



63. Spindalisnigricepuala. (Tanagra zena, Gosse.) I have never, myself, 

 taken the eggs of the Orange Bird or Mountain Goldfinch, but have had nests 

 and eggs often brought to me as belonging to the species. They are very like 

 those of the Banana bird ; the nest is rather thicker and more coarsely con- 

 structed, usually with the fibre from palms and tree ferns, and generally con- 

 tain 3 eggs. These are long oval, tapering at one end, and measuring 1| by f 

 or 13-16ths of an inch, greyish stone, marbled with irregular lines of sepia, and 

 clouded with pale slaty blotches round the large end. 



64. Pvranga rubra, is rarely met with in cool mountain glades ; and 

 appears to be only an occasional visitor. 



66. Euphonia Jamaica. The nest of the Blue Quit is a dome, composed of 

 grass and down intermixed, thickened and covered on the outside with down 

 or moss, according to the locality in which it is built. It contains 4 oval eggs, 

 13-16thsby 9-16ths of an inch, clear white, splashed all over with dashes of red- 

 dish-brown, more or less confluent, at the larger end. The nests of this species 

 are always scarce in the low lands. The down used is generally that of Asclepias, 

 sometimes of Eriodendron or Ochroma. 



I have been informed that there is a blue and white Creeper, common in 



[Nov. 







