Sir W. Jardine on the Habits of Crotophaga. 161 



lections are still more enhanced in value by the notes which 

 Mr. Kirk has now commenced to send to us, and which are 

 the result of observations made during leisure time since he 

 resided in Tobago ; and it is now our object to communicate a 

 part of these, without delaying for the completion of our pro- 

 posed synopsis. 



Crotophaga is a genus belonging to the new world, evidently 

 composed of comparatively few species, one of those remark- 

 able small groups where the distinctions rest on minute vari- 

 ations of the markings and proportions, while the general form 

 keeps extremely similar, and one distribution of colour and of 

 general tint prevails in all the members. At this time the 

 specific distinctions are not well understood, and it will be 

 extremely difficult for even an experienced ornithologist to 

 separate the species without the possession of an extensive 

 series from various localities. Mr. Swainson has described 

 four species in addition to the greater and lesser Ani (C. Ani 

 and major, of Systems), considering that mentioned by Les- 

 son and Quoy and Gaimard as identical with one of them *. 

 The characters are taken from the form of the bill and the 

 markings and rugosities, or the want of them, on its surface ; 

 but, wdthout wishing to throw any doubt on the claim these 

 have to species, we would remark that the changes which the 

 bill may undergo from youth to maturity, both in regard to 

 its outline and markings, have scarcely been ascertained. By 

 most writers and travellers the Crotophagce have been described 

 as gregarious, noisy ■\, often familiar, frequenting Savannas and 

 pastures, feeding on insects as well as seeds and grains, fre- 



* Animals in Menageries, p. 321. 



f " They live chiefly upon ticks and other small vermin, and may be fre- 

 quently seen upon the cows and oxen in the fields ; they are often observed 

 to fly on their backs, unless they lie down for them, which if much troubled 

 with ticks they generally do when they see the birds about them, but if the 

 beast be heedless they hop once or twice round it, looking very earnestly in 

 the face every time they pass, as if they seemed to know that it was only 

 necessary lo be seen to be indulged. They are very noisy birds, and are of 

 the most common sorts in all the pastures of Jamaica ; their flight is low and 

 short." — Brown's Nat. Hist, of Jamaica, p. 474. Fol. edit. 1756. 



" In Jamaica it haunts the woods on the edges of the Savannahs, and is 

 very common, making a loud noise upon the sight of mankind — Directs the 

 planters in search of their runaway slaves." — Sloanes Jamaica, ii. p. 298. 

 Fol. edit. 172.5. 



Ann. Nat. Hist, Vol.4. No. 23. Nov. 1839. n 



