PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 275 



36. Butorides virescens (Liun.)- 



" Length, J , 18 in.; alar extent, 2o; wing, 7. 



"As my boat skirted the iiinge of mangroves bordering the lagoon 

 across the bay from St. Georges, it ousted numbers of this small species. 

 They would fly a little ways, then dive into the deep foliage of the mau- 

 groAcs, where a very close inspection might detect it crawling among 

 the spider-like roots, or threading its way through the mesh-work of 

 aerial suckers seeking the mud. When started by the boat or gun, it 

 gave utterance to its guttural cry, and as we moved along, the crackling 

 and shutting of oyster shells accompanied us throughout." 



37. Nyctiardea violacea (Liun.). 



"A very shy and cautious bird, inhabiting the swamps near the sea- 

 coast. I have at dilferent times waited for hours for a shot -at it in the 

 deep mangroves, which it loves to frequent." 



Fam. PLATALEID^. 



38. Platalea ajaja (Linn.). 



" A very rare migrant, said to have been seen here." 



Fam. COLUMBID^. 



39. Columba corensis, Gm. 

 "'Bamier.' 



"Length, S, 16 in.; alar extent, 26.} ; wing, 9. 



" I arrived at the Grand Etang, the lake in the mountains, about noon ; 

 within an hour, the only man livuig there started with me around the 

 lake. After walking half an hour or so, we reached comi)aratively open 

 woods, the trees thick and very high. We heard a pigeon coo, and 

 after some time found him perched on the topmost branch of a tall 

 'figuer' tree, so high up that I at first mistook him for a 'grive'. At 

 the i-eport of my gun, he started wildly, flew a few yards upward, and 

 then fell hurtling through the air, strikhig the ground with a thud. Hio 

 crop was full of hard seeds, large as small bullets. They seem to be in 

 these woods in good numbers." 



"They are now (March 12th) mating. In November, December, and 

 January, they visit the islands off the coast in great numbers, and aie 

 said even to extend their flight to Tobago, in which latter island they 

 are not resident." 



40. Zenaida martinicana, Bp. 

 "'Tourterelle.' Not plentiful. 



"Length, (?, 11} in.; alar extent, 18; wing, G^. 



"Length, 9, 11 in.; alar extent, 17; wing, G. 



"In the mangroves bordering the bay of 'Clarke's Court' estate, near 

 the southern end of the island, I found this dove. It was near noon of a 

 very hot day, as the manager and another friend accompanied me into 



