ART. 25] NOTES ON HISPANIOLAN BIRDS^WETMORE AND LINCOLN 67 

 LOXIGILLA VIOLACEA PARISHI Wetmore 



Parish's Bullfinch 



Loxigilla violacea parishi Wetmore, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 44, Feb. 21, 

 1931, p. 27 (lie ^ Vache, Haiti). 



During our work on lie k Vache we collected five specimens of this 

 bullfinch on April 28 and 30, including three males and two birds in 

 immature dress. These exhibit the average difi'erence in smaller 

 size that distinguish this race from L. v. qffinis of adjacent Haiti. 

 The three males have the following measurements: Wing, 69, 72, 74.5 ; 

 tail, 64.7, 64.8, 64.8; culmen from base, 14.5, 14.7, 15.3; tarsus, 20.3, 

 20.5, 22.1 mm. The largest of these is equal to the smallest speci- 

 mens of L. V. affinis, but the average of that race is distinctly larger, 

 and no bird seen from the main island is equivalent to the smaller 

 skins from lie a Vache. With its circumscribed insular range parishi 

 may be maintained as distinct. 



During our work on Beata Island, from May 11 to 15, we found bull- 

 finches common, and collected a series of seven birds, including four 

 males, one female, and two immature individuals. On examination it 

 is found that these have the small average size of parishi and are 

 identified as of that race. Though this may at first sight seem hardly 

 probable, it will be recalled that both lie a Vache and Beata lie on the 

 south coast of Hispaniola and in reality are not far apart. It may be 

 considered that on these two islands there is maintained a small race 

 that formerly was more widely distributed. The two immature birds 

 from Beata are molting into adult dress and have only a part of the 

 immature plumage remaining, this part being distinctly lighter in color 

 than juvenile dress in other specimens examined, including those from 

 lie a Vache. In view of the arid conditions that hold on Beata Island, 

 with intense sunlight, it seems probable that this paler coloration is 

 due to fading, and it is thus interpreted. Following are measurements 

 of the four males from Beata: Wing, 71.6, 72.2, 73.1, 74.6; tail, 57.5, 

 60, 61, 62.4; culmen from base, 14.5, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9; tarsus, 20.1, 

 20.7, 20.8, 21.7 mm. Here again there is approach to the smallest 

 dimension found in L. v. affinis, but the average and the smaller speci- 

 mens from Beata are similar to those from lie a Vache. 



On lie a Vache these birds were fairly common in thickets and low 

 woodland, seeldng heavy cover and ordinarily remaining under conceal- 

 ment. On Beata they were more numerous and, though they remained 

 under shelter, were called out where they could be observed without 

 difficulty. We commented frequently during our work there that 

 though this was the breeding season the only songs that we heard 

 from these birds were low and sibilant, quite different from the clear, 

 whistled efforts of their main-island neighbors. It is possible, of 

 course, that the usual song was given at dawn as our camp was on 



