72 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



see more than a pair or two, but on the great morasses of the Cienaga, 

 with many square miles of aquatic \'egetation, the Ja^anas may be seen 

 daily in large bands. Their voice is a sharp metallic bark, high-pitched and 

 oft repeated. 



The nest, simply a mass of decayed grasses and lily stalks, is placed on 

 floating plants. They often hatch several broods a year. The young dive 

 almost as soon as they are hatched, and hide with only the beak above the 

 surface. The mother bravely defends young and nest, crying out and 

 flying to and fro, not only urging the young into hiding, but soon causing a 

 sympathetic commotion among all the Ja^anas within hearing. 



Gallitos occur throughout the whole Island, but since ponds are more 

 frequent in middle and western Cuba than in the Oriental Province, the 

 greater part of the population is concentrated where suitable habitat 

 exists. 



The taxonomic status of the race violacea has been adequately dis- 

 cussed by Todd in his 'Birds of the Isle of Pines' (1. c, p. 217). 



128. Starnoenas cyanocephala (Linne). 

 Blue-headed Quail Dove; Perdiz. 



The Blue-headed Quail Dove, on account of its brilliant blue crown, 

 cannot be confused with any other species. Formerly it was a 

 common denizen of all the lowland forests of the Island, where the soil 

 was not too dry. Today it is greatly reduced in numbers, both because 

 it is so extensively trapped for food and because the forests are being 

 constantly cut away. There are two ordinary methods of trapping Ground 

 Doves in general use among the country people in Cuba. One involves the 

 use of a casilla, a cage made of boughs or twigs, tied one upon the other, 

 but at different intervals so that the complete structure is pyramidal and 

 about two feet square and a foot high. This is put out in the open woods 

 and baited with tripa de guira, the mushy inner pulp of the wild calabash, 

 which is full of seeds. The casilla is tilted, and a 'figure-four' drops the 

 contrivance when it is touched by the bird fussing about inside. Sometimes 

 a small dish of water serves for bait. Another method is to erect a net on 

 hoops of creeper, and put bait beneath, where a decoy either alive or 

 stuffed is often put out conspicuously. The hunter, in hiding, imitates 

 the hup up of the bird by means of a small hollow gourd. 



The bird is called Perdiz because of its firm white flesh and the noise 

 it makes when flushed. In common with the other Ground Doves, it 



