406 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



36. Arenaria interpres morinella (Linne). 



Rather uncommon. A few Ruddy Turnstones were seen at Monte 

 Cristi during the second and third weeks in February; two others 

 were observed between Gaspar Hernandez and the Rio San Juan on 

 March 4, in company with a couple of Black-breasted Plover. 



37. Jacana spinosa violacea (Cory).^ 



Two males, El Batey. 



Uncommon resident. Jacanas were seen in small numbers in the 

 lagoon at El Batey on April 5, but none were observed elsewhere. 

 At Monte Cristi I was shown the wing of one that had been taken in 

 the marshes bordering the mouth of the Yaqui River. 



The two birds from El Batey referred to above agree with other 

 West Indian examples except that the color of the abdomen and 

 under tail-coverts is much darker and the greenish black of the breast 

 merges with it, instead of ending abruptly. However, as traces of 

 such a condition appear in a few other birds from Cuba, it is probable 

 that this may be merely a stage through which the bird passes before 

 attaining full adult plumage. 



38. Oreopelia MONTANA (Linne). 



A male, Los Toritos. 



The Ruddy Quail Dove is fairly common in the dense forests, 

 especially in the northeastern end of the island, but owing to its 

 terrestrial habits, which it shares with other members of the genus, 

 it is easily overlooked. 



In some of the other West Indian islands, particularly Cuba, these 

 doves are caught for the market in little traps made of sticks. In 

 Santo Domingo the children indulge in this pastime to a limited 

 extent, but I never found one on sale at any market. 



39. Oreopelia chrysia (Bonaparte). 



A male, Arroyo Salado. 



Rather uncommon. One killed in rather open woods at Arroyo 



1 Todd (Annals Carnegie Mus., 10, p. 217-220) has made out a good case on the status of the 

 Jacanas for Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies; he refers all West Indian birds 

 to the form described by Cory (Bull. Nuttall ornith. club, 1881, p. 129) from Haiti. 



