called) might be seen one of these birds pouring out his song

hour after hour apparently to the empty air, but on closer

inspection his mate would be revealed sitting on a lower branch

and doubtless thoroughly approving of the performance. Not so

with the Bahama form: he prefers the thick bush,being aware from

the experience of many generations that a sub-tropical sun can be

hot. Although I have occasionally seen him sing on the ground,

he prefers the upper branches, but generally takes care that there

is a leafy bough just higher than himself to screen him from the

sun and observation.


Another quiet and sombre inhabitant of the coppet, as well

as of the gardens, is the Bahama Sparrow (.Eudheia bicolor ) better

known to aviculturists as the Cuba Finch, with which it is nearly

if not quite identical ib). This bird is remarkably tame and hops

about the verandahs, even coming into the house to pick up the

crumbs from the table. The nest is a very pretty domed

structure placed about four or five feet from the ground at the top

of a long straight sapling. It is made entirely of grass woven

and matted together, with the entrance hole at the side, but

without lining of any kind; the eggs, usually three in number

but sometimes more, are dull white in colour, with brownish

spots toward the larger end.


A most characteristic bird of the Bahamas is the little

Honey Creeper (C. bahamensis) known locally as the Banana

bird. This beautiful little bird, which is about five inches in

length, belongs to a typically West Indian genus, the forms met

with on the various islands differing slightly from each other.

The upper parts are black, the underparts and rump yellow, the

chin and a broad stripe over the eye pure white. The bill is

slightly curved downwards and is moderately broad at the base,

but ends in a sharp point; a noticeable feature of this bird is the

beautiful crimson patch of skin formed by the loose skin of the

gape, and occupying the same relative position as the loose

fleshy gape so conspicuous in the nestlings of many species.

This bird is common throughout the islands both round houses

and in the coppet. It has a peculiar habit of drilling a small

circular hole at the base of the large flowers of the Hibiscus, but

whether for the sake of the honey or insects I cannot say. As a

rule it utters no sound beyond a short shrill note ; in early spring,

however, it has a very sweet little song reminding me not a



( b). The Dusky Finch (P/iottifiota or Euctheia bicolot ), having no yellow on the

throat, is I think invariably treated as distinct from either the Cuba Finch (P. canota),

the Olive ( P. lepula or olivacea), or the Little or Yellow-throated Finch (P. pt/silla).—R. P.



