344 G. E. Verrill — Fauna of the Island of Dominica. 



the borders of trails and openings. Its loud clear song is much 

 oftener heard than the bird itself is seen, but by dint of quiet and 

 patient Avaiting I have several times been able to observe its habits, 

 which, together with its notes, resemble those of our House Wren 

 {^Troglodytes aedon). 



The male only, of this species, was described by Mr. Lawrence, as 

 Mr. Ober did not take any females. We obtained two, and five 

 males. The sexes do not differ but little, but the females are a 

 shade lighter in color than the males, this being most noticeable on 

 the throat and sides of the head and face. They also ai'e slightly 

 smaller than most of the males and the bill is very slightly shorter, 

 about -3V of an inch. 



Two of the males vary from the rest ; in one, taken March 8, at 

 Laudat (the last one given in the list of measurements below), each 

 feather of the under surface is lightly tipped with dark brown, 

 strongest across the breast, wanting on the flanks. In the other 

 specimen there is one white tertiary in the left wing, and on dissec- 

 tion the left testicle was found to be very rudimentary ; whether 

 there is any connection between the two facts I cannot say, but 

 could find no traces of ?ii\y injury. 



Iris brown ; upper mandible dark brown ; the lower yellow, grow- 

 ing brown at the tip ; legs and feet light brown. ,^ 5:^-2-l|-7 ; 

 5i-2-l^-6^; 5-2-4-61; 5-2^-1^-6^ ; 4^-2-1^. ? 4^-lf-l^-6i ; 

 4^-2-11^. Ill all specimens, l)ill, from front, A^, from rictus f, 

 tarsus W- 



" Nest built of sticks and roots in lioliow logs, etc. Eggs generally two to six, 

 very much like those of the 'Sucrier ' (C. dominicana) but generally smaller. A nest 

 with three eggs taken April 9tli, 189(1, at the Mountain Lake." — a. h. v. 



The three eggs mentioned, measure -74 x -51, -73 x '51, -59 x -48, and 

 do not differ appi'eciably in the color and markings from those of 

 the "Sucrier." 



Family, Turdid.e. 



50. Myadestes dominicanus Stejn. "Siffleur Montagae," Pat. and Fr. 

 ••Mountain Whistler," Eng. 

 Referred to MyiadesteN genibarbis Sw. in Lawr. List. 



Common but, from its shy and retiring habits, much more often 

 heard than seen. Generally found in deep, dark Avoods, at an eleva- 

 tion of at least 800-1000 feet and for the most part higher. Its shy 

 and solitary habits, more than two individuals being rarely seen 

 together, are apparently due to natural disposition rather than 



