172 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XX. 2, 3<9 4. 



Family MOMOTIDAE Mot-mots. 

 73. Momotus swainsoni. Grey King of the Woods 

 Momotus bahamensis. Leotaud No. 47. 

 This bird has been much persecuted by cacao planters under the 

 impression that it damages cacao, but the contents of seven stomachs 

 given in the Bull. Dept. Agr. XI. 324 showing 2 per cent, wild 

 berries and 98 per cent, insects, centipedes and scorpions should be 

 quite sufficient to show the value of this bird to the agriculturist. 



A short account of its habits, with a photograph of one of its 

 tunnel nests is given by A. B. Carr in the Proc. Agr. Soc. Trinidad 

 XII. 1912 173. 



As it is a frequenter of high woods and as most of my observations 

 have been made in the open country I have only come across it on one 

 occasion, at King's Bay, Tobago on November 22, 1916. 



The battledore shape of the two long tad feathers has been found 

 to be caused by the bird deliberately biting off the barbs from both 

 sides of the base of the stalk of these feathers. 



Family GALBULIDAE Jacamars. 



74. Galbula ruficauda, Cuv. The Jacamar. 

 Leotaud No. 56. 

 This bird is apparently not uncommon but frequents the wooded 

 country and I have only met with it on one occasion, on November 22, 

 1916 in Tobago. Its brilliant colouring makes it resemble a gigantic 

 humming bird. 



I have seen the eggs of this species, taken by R. Collens. They 

 are white and almost round and are said to be laid at the end of a long 

 tunnel in an overhanging bank. In the nest from which these were 

 taken there were three eggs and a few twigs but my informant states 

 that in some nests there are no twigs. 



Family CUCULIDAE CuCKOOS. 

 75. Crotophaga ani, Linn. The Tick Bird, Old Witch or 



Merle Corbeau. 

 Leotaud No. 194. 

 This is one of the commonest birds of Trinidad, always 

 conspicuous by its black colour, its heavy beak and its noisy habits. 



The nesting habits are of interest in that, (far from resembling 

 the European Cuckoo) several of the females construct a common nest 

 and frequently lay so many eggs in it that they overflow on to the 

 ground below. It is not known if more than one cock bird is present. 



