Gf. E. Verrill — Iiaxma of the Island of Dominica. 34 Y 



swampy woods situated in the crotch of a small tree about ten feet 

 from the ground and is a very handsome structure, composed mainly 

 of long, dark green moss thickly lined with small roots and stems of 

 plants. Diameter on top 5^ in., on bottom 8 in., height 4 in. The 

 cavity measures 3f in. across the top and 2\ in. deep. Plate xxv, 

 fig. 4. 



54. Mimocichla verrillorum Allen. " Perro-vanter," Pat. 



Plate xxvir, Fig. ?>. 

 M. ardesiaca (Vieill.) ; Scl. List. 



M. ardesiaca albiventris ; Scl. List, in notes (P. Z. S. 1889, p. 32G). 

 M. albiveiiirzs (Bc\ ) ; Allen in Auk, vol. viii , No. 3, p. 217. 



Very rare and shy. The only two specimens obtained, a pair, 

 were taken at Lasswa, on the windward or eastern side of the 

 island, and apparently, from the testimony of the natives and our 

 own experience, its habitat is mainly confined to that portion of the 

 island, though once or twice its notes were heard near Bass-en-ville, 

 and, as mentioned later on, it was taken on the western side the pre- 

 vious year, by Mr. Ramage. 



" Note a shrill, plaintive whistle." — (a. h. v.) 



Sexes much alike, but the female "slightly smaller than the male, 

 with the breast paler and the abdomen more deeply tinted with 

 yellowish buff." — (Allen.) Bill, legs and feet yellow ; iris dark 

 brown. Measurements, from skin: 5 length, 10-50; wing, 4*60; 

 tail, 4*50 ; culmen, 0'85. 



Mr. J, A. Allen described this bird under the above name in the 

 "Auk "for April, 1891 (vol. viii.. No. 2, p. 217), considering it a 

 new species, but later, in the next number of the same journal 

 (p. 3\1), refei's it to M. albiventris (Scl.), adopting as specific the 

 quasi sub-specific name used by Dr. P. L. Sclater in his " List of 

 Birds Collected by Mr, Ramage in Dominica, West Indies" (P. Z. S., 

 1889, p. 326), in speaking of two male specimens collected by Mr. 

 Geo. A. Ramage at Batalie, on the leeward side of Dominica, in 

 March, 1889. 



In the enumerated list of Dominican birds at the head of his 

 article. Dr. Sclater mentions the bird in question as 3f. ardesiaca 

 (Vieill.) from which, as Mr. Allen has shown in his first article, it is 

 quite distinct, but later on in the article he says, " as might have 

 been expected the Dominican Mimocichla belongs to the Porto 

 Rican form. It is, in fact, so nearly similiar that I do not see 

 sufiicient grounds for making it specifically distinct. The only 

 difference apparent is the much greater whiteness of the belly in the 

 Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. VIIL 46 April, 1892. 



