1922. 



TRINIDAD BIRDS. 153 



45. Dendrornis sussurans. Jardine. Cacao Insect Pecker. 



Nasica sussurans. Leotaud No. 83. 

 This bird is not uncommon in the cacao districts of the Northern 

 range and doubtless elsewhere, but it is not found in the open country. 

 The stomach of one shot on December 31, 1920, in the Maracas 

 Valley contained one grasshopper and one weevil. Accordmg ta 

 Guppy {Bull. Dept. Agr.Xm 1914 119) it feeds on msects 

 including ants and beetle larvce. 



46. Dendrocinchla meruloides Lafr. Little Cacao Insect Pecker. 

 Dendrocops meruloides. Leotaud No. 86. 

 One of these was shot in the Maracas Valley on July 22, 1920. 

 According to Guppy it has the same habits as the last species. 



47. Thamnophilus major Vieill. Cou-cou. 

 T. stagurus. Leotaud No. 143. 

 One of these birds was seen at San Fernando on March 12, 1919. 



48. Thamnophilus doliatusUnn. Pin' ad-. 

 Leotaud No. 142. 

 A pair of these were seen at Palo Seco on July 5, 1919, a cock bird 

 was seen at Moruga on September 4, 1919, and a pair near Prmce^ 

 Town on March 14, 1920. 



I have no record of food or habits, but accordmg to Guppy 

 {Bull. Dept. Agr.. XIII 1914 1 19) it is insectivorous. 



Family TROCHILIDy^. Humming Birds. 

 Seventeen species of Humming Birds have been recorded from 

 Trinidad but some of these are now very scarce and possibly no 



longer occur. 



The slaughter of them for skins for export has now been stopped 

 for some years but the spread of civilisation and cultivation gradually 

 lessens the numbers of the shyer species. 



Owing to the loss of the Leotaud collection and the interest 

 usually shown in this group I have added short descriptions of al 

 the species, including those which I have not seen. It is Wed that 

 this will encourage residents in the Island to study the habits of the 

 remaining species before they too become rare. 



