1866.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. GOO 



A CATALOGUE OP THE BIRDS OP GRENADA, ^WEST INDIES, WITH 

 OBSERVATIONS THEREON. 



By JOHN (liRANT \«'E:L,L.S, of Cireuada. 



[Edited by George N. Lawrence.] 



For the past three years Mr. Wells has been sending me specimens 

 of birds from Grenada, through the Smithsonian Institution, to have 

 them identified. His object in so doing was that he might give as com- 

 plete a catalogue as possible of the birds inhabiting and frequenting 

 that island. He has enumerated ninety-two species, two of which re- 

 quire identification for want of specimens. 



Mr. Wells enumerates thirty-eiglit species more than are given by 

 Mr. Ober in his catalogue of the birds of Grenada. He procured all 

 the species obtained or seen by Mr. Ober, and four he had not identi- 

 fied have been determined. 



Of most of the species he has given very full and interesting notes 

 of their habits. 



Mr. Wells has proved himself to be a most diligent collector and care- 

 ful investigator, the result being, besides the greatly increased number 

 of birds added to the fauna of Grenada, the discovery of three species 

 new to science and of eleven species not before noted from the Lesser 

 Antilles. 



Most of the species given in this catalogue have been liberally pre- 

 sented by Mr. Wells to the U. S. National Museum at Washington. 



October, 1886. 



Family TURDID^. 



1. Tardus nigrirostris LaTwr. Mountain Grieve; Thrush. 



$ Length, 9^ inches; expanse, 15^ inches; wing, 5 inches. 



9 Length, 9 inches; expanse, 15 inches; wing, 4§ inches. 



This bird is exclusively confined to the deep woods, preferring the 

 dark valleys along the mountain streams, and may always be found on 

 the " figeur " trees, on the berries of which it feeds, it is rather a shy 

 bird, and immediately makes off with a " cluck, cluck," on the ap- 

 proach of any one. Its note may be heard morning and evening, and 

 has been compared to these words : "John Pierre oh — John Pierre oh — 

 mi yes, mi yes, mi yes," with a stress on "Pierre," the last three words 

 rather fast. 



The nest is generally placed in the fork of a tree with dark foliage, 

 and comijosed outwardly of dried roots and ferns, the shell of mud, 

 and lined with finer roots. The eggs are three in number, of a pale green, 

 speckled and blotched with reddish brown, the spots coniluent at the 

 large end. They measure 1.68 inches by .84 inch and 1.20 inches by .82 

 inch. 



Proc. N. M., 86 39 Feb. 11,18 87. 



