244 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



After actually comparing a series of specimens in the same seasonal 

 plumage I must confess that I am not very favorably impressed with 

 the claim of the bird from the Isle of Pines to recognition by name. 

 There is certainly not the slightest difference in color, and the average 

 difference in size seems scarcely of sufficient importance to justify 

 formal separation. Mr. Ridgway speaks of the red color beneath 

 being appreciably lighter, but I am persuaded that he was dealing 

 with examples in more or less faded dress. This red area seems to 

 average smaller, however, than in the Cuban birds I have examined, 

 although this may be due to the make-up of the skins. Both Mr. 

 Bangs' measurements (some of which I have quoted in the above table), 

 Mr. Ridgway's, and my own, averaging substantially the same as they 

 do, seem scarcely to afford sufficient ground, in my judgment, for the 

 recognition of two subspecies, and I admit such only provisionally. 



This brilliant species is common in the jungles, or dense tropical 

 forests found in the river valleys and on the mountain slopes. For a 

 perch it chooses an exposed situation, whence it sallies forth after 

 passing insects, upturning to the same branch, in the manner of a 

 flycatcher. Small wild fruits are also eaten at times. As a rule it 

 occurs in pairs, or occasionally three or four may be seen together. 

 " It is a stupid sluggish bird and very tame," scarcely deigning to 

 move out of the way when approached. It has a loud call, repeated 

 at intervals, which has given rise to its native name of " Tocororo." 

 The nest is doubtless built in hollow trees, as is the case with other 

 species of this group; at any rate, Mr. Read mentions having flushed a 

 bird of this species from an old woodpecker's hole in a bottle-palm, on 

 June 25, 1910. 



Nephoecetes niger niger Gmelin. Black Swift. 



(?) "Chimney Swift" (error) Read, Oologist, XXVI, 1909, 58, 102 (I. of Pines). 

 (?) Cypseloides niger? Read, Forest and Stream, LXXIII, 1909, 452 (I. of Pines). 



— Read, Oologist, XXVI, 1909, 125, and XXVIII, 191 1, 12, and XXX, 1913, 



131 (I. of Pines). 



Although this species has long been known from Cuba, where, however, it appears 

 to be rare and local, the above records for the Isle of Pines are admittedly doubtful, 

 resting as they do on imperfect identifications of individuals noted by Mr. Read 

 on at least two occasions. The actual capture of specimens is the only sufficient 

 ground for the admission of such a species as this to the Isle of Pines list. 



