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



time their whistle is two notes resembling the words ' whir whir/ 

 the first uttered quickly and the latter with a considerable accent 

 and a prolonged sound of several seconds, similar to the whistle 

 of a shepherd to his dog when he does so through his teeth : I 

 can imitate this so exactly as to be answered whenever the twi- 

 light commences. From the darkness of their retreat I could not 

 see them, but when they answered my call could perceive them 

 to be stationary, and I have formerly seen them sitting on the 

 ground, uttering their note in the Glamorgan pasture, which was 

 very bare. There also I have seen them performing their evo- 

 lutions in the air, and producing their buzzing sound like that 

 of a wool spinning-wheel ; the last I shot was the only one I ever 

 saw settle upon a tree. I observed that they ceased to answer 

 me whenever they took to wing, but in passing and repassing me 

 in their gliding circles, sometimes coming within a yard or two 

 of my head, they invariably utter a gentle cheep once repeated. 

 If a pair, when one was dropped the other disappeared, and could 

 • never be prevailed upon to answer the call for that evening." 



Progne dominicensis, Gmel. s. 



This Swallow appears to be a migratory visitant to several of 

 the West Indian islands, and to occupy there the place of the 

 P. purpurea of the northern continent, being known by the same 

 familiar name of " Purple Martin." Brisson described it from 

 St. Domingo, and we have received Jamaica specimens from Dr. 

 Parnell. 



Mr. Kirk states his specimens were shot on the 24th February, 

 but " the exact date of arrival and departure I have not yet ascer- 

 tained. There are still (14th August) a few here, they feed on the 

 Cantharides fly, and commence to build in the beginning of May. 

 Observing a number of them sitting upon the wreck of a large 

 vessel cast upon our shore, pluming and adjusting their feathers, 

 on my approach they gave signs of great uneasiness, which in- 

 creased as I proceeded, until I went to the nest, when they 

 hovered over and within three feet of my head while I was draw- 

 ing out from the crevices their large nest, composed of sticks, 

 tree leaves, old oakum from the vessel, and thickly bedded with 

 large downy feathers. I saw no young, and indeed it seems 

 strange that they should attempt to build there, when in the 

 least rough weather the surf breaks right over. I observe they 

 build around our coast on all the precipitous rocks." 



Acanthylis brachyura, Jard. (Chimney Swallow.), s. 

 Hirondelle a queue pointue de la Louisiane 3 PI. Enl. 726. fig. 2 ? 

 Hirundo poliurus, Temm., Tab. Method, p. 78 ? 

 It is probable that the Tobago specimens of Acanthylis may 



