ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS — WETMORE AND LINCOLN 9 



visited a region of stony slopes 5 Idlometers west of L'Arcahaie, which 

 completed our work in the field, as rains had been steadily increasing 

 until the roads out of Port-au-Prince became impassable. We sailed 

 for New York on the S.S. Ancon on May 27. 



THE AVIFAUNA OF LA HOTTE 



The only ornithological work in the La Hotte area prior to our visit 

 was that of R. H. Beck, who traveled in the interest of the American 

 Museum of Natural History. His itinerary, taken from his manu- 

 script journals, available through the kindness of Dr. F. M. Chapman 

 and Dr. R. C. Murphy, is as follows: 



On June 15, 1917, Beck came to Les Anglais, and on June 18 pro- 

 ceeded inland up steep slopes where he found coffee growing to 1,200 

 meters. He camped at the last available water above the highest 

 native hut. Beyond there were no trails, and progress was impeded 

 by trees blown down by a recent hurricane. On the following day 

 he cut a trail to the top of a long ridge leading toward a high peak and 

 continued until he came to two pines. On returning to his camp at 

 noon he found that his men had deserted him. On June 21 he moved 

 to another site and on the following day cut a trail to near the level 

 of pines. On June 24 he again climbed to the summit of the ridge 

 near the base of the peak, returning June 26 to Port a Piment. On 

 July 1 he went again inland, and on July 4 cut another trail along the 

 ridges toward the high peak. 



From the fact that Beck came into this region from Les Anglais 

 and Port a Piment, it is evident that his collections were made on the 

 slopes of La Grande Colline. From his specimens Wetmore described 

 Calyptophilus tertius tertius, the only bird now known to be peculiar to 

 this region. 



From the viewpoint of its avifauna on the basis of somewhat limited 

 present knowledge. La Hotte is rather disappointing, as its interest 

 comes principally from those forms that do not occur. Among the 

 birds peculiar to the higher mountains of the island we found only 

 Chapman's ground warbler {Microligea montana), the Hispaniolan 

 elaenia (Elaenea albicapilla), and Sclater's swallow {Lamprochelidon 

 sdateri). The paroquet was not observed, though parrots were 

 common, and the Hispaniolan ground warbler {Microligea palustris 

 palustris) was absent. It would appear that the region has been one 

 of isolation to which certain widespread forms have not penetrated, 

 in most cases probably because of the dense rain forest that has not 

 allowed the proper environment. Isolation is, however, the only 

 explanation to be given for the absence of Microligea palustris palustris 

 as the entire section is well suited to the needs of this form. 



The foregoing remarks must not be construed to indicate that this 

 difficult mountain region is barren ornithologically. The abundance 



