332 Sir W. Jardine on the Ornithology of the Island of Tobago. 



tree root to another with a low ' chirp/ and carefully examining 

 every crevice in the bark, picking from thence insects and larva?, 

 ants, &c." 



Metopia pareola, Swain. (Manakins.) s. 

 " Birds of the first year are destitute of the scarlet crest, when 

 they afterwards gradually assume the light blue back and black 

 belly ; feeds upon seeds and berries." 



Tanagra cana*, Swain. (Blue Bird.) s. 

 Tachyphonus leucopterus, Gmel. (Tanager.) s. 

 " Native. This bird is related in some degree to Wilson's Red- 

 winged Starling. As far as his description regarding the destruc- 

 tion of corn goes, it strictly applies to this bird, and the only 

 difference is, that the ( Tanager ' can scarcely be called gregarious. 

 Although I have seen them assembled in considerable numbers 

 among the corn about the same place, yet the flight or departure 

 of one seemed to be entirely independent of the other." 



Tiaris jacarina, Linn. (Blue-throat Grass-bird.) s. 

 " Native : gregarious, found in small flocks of twenty or thirty ; 

 feed on the ground on grass seeds, &c. A beautiful warbler, and 

 sprightly in appearance as well as in song : although a grass bird, 

 it may frequently be found pouring forth his song from the top 

 of a tree." A white variety has also been received. 



Tiaris omissa, Jard. (Grass-birds.) 

 " Feed upon the guinea grass." The species which we have 

 named as above appears to be distinct from the Fringilla bicolor 

 of Linn., which agrees with Jamaica birds and with the figure of 

 Catesby, which we believe is the foundation of that bird as well 

 as of Brisson's Chloris bahamensis. There is a bird figured in 



* We are indebted to Mr. Strickland for the following note to this spe- 

 cies : — "Much confusion exists among the blue species of Tanagra com- 

 monly called ' Bishop Tanagers.' These birds appear to constitute at least 

 three species : 



" 1. Tanagra episcopus, Linn., founded on Brisson, Orn. vol. iii. pi. 1. f. 2. 

 Its synonyms are, Gracula glauca, Sparrm., Tanagra ccelestis, Spix, T. say- 

 aca, Linn., and T. serioptera, Sw. Lesser wing-covers light gray with a 

 violet tinge. Length of wing 3-^ inches. Guiana. 



'* 2. Ti virens, Linn. — Syn. Sayacu, Edw. Birds, pi. 351. f. I ; Loxia virens, 

 Linn. ; Tanagra prcelatus, Less. Tr. Orn. ; T. episcopus, Sw. Orn. Draw- 

 ings, pi. 39. Lesser wing-covers deep blue, back and flanks more or less 

 greenish. Wing 3 T 9 ^ inches. Brazil. 



"3. T. cana, Sw. Orn. Drawings, pi. 37. The T. ccelestis, Sw. Orn. Dr. 

 pi. 41, seems to be the female. Lesser wing-covers deep blue, back and flanks 

 cserulean gray. Wing 3 T % inches. Swainson refers this bird to Brazil ; my 

 specimens are from Bogota. The Tobago bird agrees with the latter except 

 in being of a more vivid blue on the back, upper tail-covers, outer margin 

 of remiges and flanks, but I would hardly venture to separate it as a species." 



