G. E. Verrill — Fauna oj the Island of Dominica. 329 



Judging from the various descriptions and our own specimen this 

 species is subject to great variation in phimage, perhaps due partly 

 to sex, age, and season. 



Iris orange ; bill light horn-color, running into black at tip of 

 upper mandible ; legs and feet broAvn. S (from skin), wing 9^, tail 

 6, bill (chord of culmeu from cere) 1.20. 



Order, COCCYGES. 



Family, Cuculid.e. 



25, CoCCyZUS minor (Gmel.). "Coulaveecon," Pat.; '' Coucoiimioc," Pat. 

 (Fr. Coucou manioc, Manioc or Cassava, Cuckoo). 

 Coccyzus seniculus Vieill. ; Tayl. List. 



Not uncommon, locally (|uite common, as at Bass-en-ville, where a 

 number were seen and heard and several taken. 



In habits and notes it much resembles our common Yellow-billed 

 Cuckoo ( C. atnerlcamis). 



Iris brown or red ; upper mandible black, lower mandible yellow, 

 black at the tip ; legs and feet black. Sexes alike in plumage, 

 female apparently larger than the male. ^ 13-5f-6f-15; 13^-5f-6^; 

 121-5^-6-16^. ? 13f-5f-6|-17i. 



Order, ALCYONES. 

 Family, Alcedinid^. 



36. Ceryle alcyon (Linn.). " Calbasco," Pat. 



Rather rare and shy. Seen several times. Though no specimens 

 were obtained it was undoubtedly this species, which Mr. Ober also 

 saw but did not take. 



The natives insisted that there were two entirely different birds, 

 both called by the above Patois name, and stated that the other was 

 rare and had a long bill with teeth or notches along its sides, but 

 the description was so imperfect that it was impossible to tell what 

 bird it was, and though we used every endeavor and offered a good 

 price we were unable to procure any ; still I am in hopes that one of 

 our friends who helped us to secure so many rare birds, may yet send 

 us one of these, which I am sure from the description given us is 

 something unlooked for in the fauna of this islaiul. 



