1922.] TRINIDAD BIRDS. 167 



71. Podager nacunda, Viell. Nacunda Night Jar. 

 Leotaud No. 36. 

 Five or six of these birds were seen flying at Harmony Hall in the 

 evening of June 29, 1919. They were first seen at about 6.45 p.m., 

 early twilight). 



On July 1 and 4 they were roused during the daytime from the 

 same place in one field, but a close search failed to reveal any nests. 

 They were apparently only resting on the ground as feathers and 

 droppings were found at the spot where one bird rose. 



A flock of six birds was again seen at the same locality on 

 October 17, 1919. 



According to Leotaud this bird is a later flyer than the other 

 species, but these were seen in early twilight. 



Food. One bird was shot on June 29, 1919 at 6.50 p.m. 

 and contained 26 froghoppers, 1 black weevil ( Metamasius ), 

 I scarabeid, 1 elaterid, and 2 winged ants. It must have already been 

 feeding for some time. 



An examination was made of the droppings (?or casts) found on 

 the spot where one bird rose on July 4, and these were found to 

 consist entirely of the remains of insects chiefly beetles and ants. 



Family STEATORNID.^. Oil Birds. 

 72. Steatornis caripensis. The Oil Bird or Guacharo. 

 Leotaud No. 31. 

 No account of the birds of Trinidad would be complete without 

 some reference to this remarkable cave dwelling bird, first discovered 

 by Humbolt in Venezuela and now known to be distributed along the 

 north coast of South America. 



The Oil Bird, Guacharo or Diablotin is the only known 

 representative of its family, which is somewhat related to the night- 

 jars ; unlike these birds however it builds a distinct pillar like nest 

 inside caves and feeds entirely on the fruits of various species of palms. 



There are at least half a dozen nesting places of this bird in 

 Trinidad and, if rumour can be believed, there may be many more. 

 They are all in the northern part of the Island either in the mountains 

 or in the cliffs facing the sea. Most of them are in true caves but in 

 one case (see below) they were found nesting on the walls of a canyon. 

 The common feature of all these places that I have seen is that 

 they have a water floor, either the sea or a river. 



