22



Mr. J. E. Bonhote,



complete without mention being made of the Humming Birds, ot

which three species are found in the Bahamas. The commonest

and most generally distributed is the Bahama Woodstar (Doricha

evelynae) which is fairly numerous everywhere, although rather

local, being influenced chiefly by the plants in bloom ; they are

always especially common round the flow T ers of the sisal and

return again and again to a particular bush. The colouring of

this species is not very brilliant, being in both sexes of an olive

green, the gorget of the male, which is of a glistening purple,

excepted. The flight is straight and rapid, but seldom continued

long in one direction, the bird darting hither and thither or

hovering in front of some flower whilst sucking the nectar.

Another and rather finer species (Sporadimis ricordi) is only

found on Andros and Abaco, and is of a most gorgeous metallic

green all over, while a third species, which I did not meet with,

is restricted to Inagua.


Passing through the barrens a loud and clear call, consisting

of two notes, may often be heard ; in a short time a large black

bird with a long tail may be seen perched on a high branch

whence an extended view of the surrounding country may be

seen. On a nearer approach his cries will become more vehement,

and half-a-dozen or more of his comrades will rise from the

ground and settle on the neighbouring bushes, the whole flock

eventually taking to the wing and flying off in a long straggling

line. This is the Ani (Crotophaga ani) an aberrant species of

Cuckoo ; it is a long thin bird whose plumage is entirely black,

the most noticeable feature about it being the upper mandible,

which is flattened vertically so that its height at the base is nearly

two-thirds of its length. Although broad at the base it narrows

towards the tip and also along the culmen so as to form a sharp

ridge like a plough. I cannot speak from personal observation of

the uses of this curious beak, but according to Gosse, who writes

of it in Jamaica on the authority of Mr. Hill, it is used to open

out the soft earth in its search for food, and also “ facilitates its

search for vermin imbedded in the long close hair of animals,”

for it is apparently accustomed in Jamaica to feed with cattle as

the Starling does in England. As I did not come across any

cattle in the islands I visited, there has been no chance afforded



