Todd: The Birds of the Isle of Pines. 281 



naturally differ more from eastern Cuban birds than do adults. The 

 Bibijagua specimens, shot July 9 and 10, are in juvenal plumage, while 

 adults, taken October 13 and 14, are just completing the postnuptial 

 moult. The iris is marked as " straw-color " in the male, not brown, 

 as given by Mr. Ridgway for gundlachii. 



The Crackle is an abundant resident species, traveling in flocks, 

 except in the breeding-season. It is found throughout the island, in 

 the more remote districts as well as in the cultivated sections, fre- 

 quenting the open country, the vicinity of streams, etc. It has a 

 bad reputation for destroying rice, but is a useful species nevertheless. 

 It follows the plow as does the Crow Blackbird in the north, which 

 species it otherwise resembles in notes and general habits. According 

 to Mr. Read and Mr. Zappey it is wont to alight on the backs of horses 

 and cattle to pick off the ticks with thich they are often infested. 

 " The male, owing to the vertically placed feathers in the tail, presents 

 a curious appearance when on the wing." A number of nests in 

 process of construction were found in the Cienaga near Siguanea the 

 last week in April; in every case they were situated in the mangroves, 

 only a few feet above the water, and were built of dry sticks and stems 

 of weeds, lined with fine rootlets. Gundlach says that in Cuba they 

 nest in the palm-trees, sometimes several together, and Mr. Read speaks 

 of having found a nest forty feet up in a " jucaro " tree. The eggs are 

 four or five in number, and are colored like those of the Crow Blackbird. 



136. Spindalis pretrei (Lesson). Cuban Spindalis. 



Tanagra pretrei Poey, Mem. Hist. Nat. Cuba, 1854, 426 (Nueva Gerona, fide 

 Gundlach). 



Spindalis pretrei Cory, Cat. W. Indian Birds, 1892, 114 (I. of Pines, in geog. distr.). 

 — Gundlach, Orn. Cubana, 1895, 77 (I. of Pines). — Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., No. 50, II, 1902, 68 (I. of Pines; meas.; crit.). — Read, Oologist, XXVI, 

 1909, 189, 190 (I. of Pines; descr.; habits); XXVIII, 191 1, 12 (I. of Pines). 



Spindalis pretrei pinus Bangs & Zappey, Am. Nat., XXXIX, 1905, 213 (Santa Fe, 

 Jucaro, Cayo Bonito, Pasadita, and San Juan; orig. descr.; type now in coll. 

 Mus. Comp. Z06I.; meas.; crit.; habits). — Allen, Auk, XXII, 1905, 329, in 

 text (review). — Editors, Ibis, 1905, 631, in text (review). — Sharpe, Hand-List 

 Birds, V, 1909, 380 (ref. orig. descr.; I. of Pines, in geog. distr.). — Read, Oologist, 

 XXVII, 1910, IS (syn.). — Read, Bird-Lore, XV, 1913, 45 (Santa Barbara). — 

 Read, I. of Pines News, VI, Dec. 6, 1913 (descr.; habits). 



"Isle of Pines Tanager" Read, Oologist, XXVIII, 1911, 5 (Santa Barbara Moun- 

 tain, etc.), II (Nuevas River), 114 (West McKinley); XXX, 1913, 125 (Santa 

 Barbara), 131 (I. of Pines). 

 Ten specimens: Los Indios, Siguanea, Caleta Grande, and Bibijagua. 



