On Birds from the Island of Cozumel. 185 



XVI. — On a Collection of Birds from the Island of Cozumel. 

 By OsBERT Salvin, M.A., F.R.S., &c. 



(Plate V.) 



The collection of birds described below was formed by Mr. 

 E. C. J. Devis^ wlio^ after residing for some time in Northern 

 Yucatan^ visited Cozumel before returning to England. 



The centre of Cozumel is situated in about lat. 20° 30' N., 

 long. 86° 50' W. The island lies off the east coast of Yucatan, 

 a little to the southward of Cape Catoche. It is an irregular 

 oval in shape, about twenty-five miles long and ten wide, 

 and is separated from the mainland by a channel about ten 

 miles wide. The geological formation appears to be similar 

 to that of the adjoining coast, and consists of a porous lime- 

 stone, through which all rain at once passes, so that there 

 are no surface-streams or rivers anywhere in the district. 

 The ground seems to be honeycombed, and water collects in 

 natural wells, locally called " senotes,^"" which have been de- 

 scribed by all travellers in Yucatan (see Mr. G. F. Gaumer^s 

 description of them, P.Z. S. 1883, p. 438). 



Historically, Cozumel is of some interest, having been first 

 visited by Juan de Grijalva, one of the immediate prede- 

 cessors of Cortes, who himself directed his ships to this island 

 when he sailed from Cuba in the expedition which resulted 

 in the conquest of Mexico. At that time the island appears 

 to have been thickly populated, and extensive buildings gave 

 evidence of an advanced civilization. 



After the visit of Cortes, Cozumel appears to have again 

 sunk into obscurity until Stephens went therein 1842 for the 

 purpose of exploring its ruins*. Dr. S. Cabot was with this 

 expedition, and to him we owe the beginning of our know- 

 ledge of the birds of the island, as he brought away with 

 him two skius of a Certhiola, many years afterwards de- 

 scribed as Certhiola caboti, the nearest relative of which is a 

 species inhabiting the Bahama Islands. 



Mr. Devises collection contains examples of twenty-seven 

 species; and on comparing them with the now well-known 



* ' Incidents of Travel in Yucatan/ ii. cliap. xx. 

 SER. V. VOL. III. O 



