1922.] TRINIDAD BIRDS. 143 



35. Arundinicola leucocephala. Linn. The White-Headed Widow. 



Leotaud No. 108. 



This conspicuous black bird with a white head is almost as 

 common as the preceding species and frequents similar localities. 



The nest is very similar to that of the Washerwoman and I can 

 give no distinguishing characteristics. 



Nesting was observed as follows. 



(1) On July 14, 1918 at La Fortunee sugar estate at the end of 

 a long branch of a fiddle wood tree overhanging the pond and about 

 four feet above the water. (N.B. a nest of Fluvicola pica was on the 

 same branch.) It was made of grass, cotton seeds and fluff and. 

 lined with feathers . It contained three eggs. 



Fig. 2. — The White-Headed Widow (Arundinicola 

 leucocephala). About half natural size, 



(2) On September 5, 1918 at La Fortunee sugar estate in a Hog* 

 plum tree about ten feet from the ground. It contained four eggs. 



(3) On August 25, 1919 a hen bird was seen carrying grass at 

 Harmony Hall so presumably a nest was being constructed. 



(4) On September 3, 1919 a nest at Couva in a pigeon-pea about 

 seven feet from ground and containing one fresh egg. 



The egg is pale pinkish cream without any markings. 



The food is shown by the following three stomach contents. 



(1) A cock bird shot at Brechin Castle sugar estate on Novembef 

 19, 1917 contained two froghoppers {Tomaspis saccharina), one small 

 beetle (a blue chrysomelld) and numerous unidentifiable insect 

 remains, chiefly beetles. 



(2) A hen shot at the same time as the above contained 

 Tomaspis saccharina, and various Insect remains mostly beetles. 



(3) One shot at Wllllamsvllle on June 11, 1918 among sugar cane 

 contained one Tomaspis and a small brown beetle. 



