394 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



in the same localities as the Perdrix, woods sufficiently free from under- 

 brush to afford places for scratching. The places where they have 

 disturbed the earth by scratching are frequently seen in the paths, 

 where the woods are thick, and in the open forest. They will come 

 quickly at the call if within hearing, but are shy, flying cautiously 

 from tree to tree never long at rest." 



According to my experience they are extremely local requiring a 

 thick wet forest but not one so thick as the rain forest of the high 

 ranges. In Guadeloupe this species is practically unknown on the 

 west coast. To the north of the island it is only back in the hills of 

 Bellevue that the bird is found. In the south and east I found it 

 not rare about the foothills of Morne Rouge, near Goyave, and again 

 at Ste. Marie. 



As Ober has said this species is a ground inhabiting bird. For this 

 reason it was one of the first victims of the Mongoose. Since as Ballet 

 (L'histoire de la flore, la faune etc. de la Guadeloupe — Basse Terre 

 1895) expresses it "la chair est la plus tendre et la plus delicate," 

 the natives for many years have set out great hoops each with sixty 

 to a hundred snares attached. The bird while scratching would 

 become entangled and would eventually be found and taken to market 

 where it would be sold for five cents. Now everything is changed, 

 the Mongoose has nearly exterminated the species while those few 

 individuals that remain seem to have adapted themselves to the new 

 conditions, and if one can believe in hear-say are on the increase. 

 This change is probably a forsaking of the ground for the low dense 

 shrubbery. I did not once surprise the bird scratching among the 

 leaves. Often I have heard its bell-like note coming from high up in 

 the trees. It is a very characteristic call, mellow, resonant, and 

 repeated at frequent intervals. 



45. Allenia apicalis (Hartlaub). 

 Grive Fine. Grive Cendree. 



Thirteen specimens from five different localities on Guadeloupe, 

 taken during both July and August. This species is not rare wherever 

 the environment is suitable. 



An examination of a large series of specimens from the islands of 

 the southern Lesser Antilles shows a tendency for this species to 



