384 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



Holoquiscalus guadeloupensis (Lawrence). 



Although the Merle never ascends to any of the high pastures at 

 the edge of the rain forest, it is still fairly abundant over the rest of 

 the island. I did not meet with it at all during my stay at Ste. Claude, 

 Vieux Habitants, INIorne Rouge, or any of the other high regions I 

 visited. But about the low plantations of Ste. Marie and Goyave 

 it was very abundant. At Ste. Rose from July 12th-20th the Merle 

 was seen nearly every morning in the Mango trees surrounding a large 

 cow pasture. In fact wherever herds of cattle are grazing one may 

 feel certain of seeing or hearing some INIerles providing the altitude 



IS not too great. 



Ballet {Loc. cit., p. 23) in speaking of the Merle says: — 

 "Cet oiseau vit par bandes nombreuses, aime a se percher sur les 

 grands arbres, notamment sur les palmistes, se perche sur les boeufs 

 pour devorer les tiques et autres vernlines dont ils sont converts, est 

 tres famillier, suit le laboureur, et, pose sur les boeufs, ou la charrue, 

 se precipite sur les larves et les insectes mis a decouvert par cet instru- 

 ment aratoire. Sa chair n'est pas bonne. Aussi, grace a son peu de 

 gout, il a echappe a la destruction et rend a notre agriculture d'im- 

 menses services. Ses bandes multipliees couvrent la Grande - Terre 

 et une partie de la Guadeloupe." 



The notes of the Merle are as varied as those of the Starling (Sturnus 

 vulgaris). When in flocks the Merle keeps up an incessant jabbering. 

 Sometimes, especially in the early morning, the bird gives its true call- 

 note, a double whistle of two syllables, the second rather prolonged. 

 But it is the conversational jabbering which is most characteristic 

 of the bird. 



