THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 35 



chez, where he remained until May 16, working in the swamps of the 

 Yuna delta, and visiting the Arroyo Barrancota and San Lorenzo 

 Bay to examine the caves, and the colonies of pelicans, terns and 

 frigate birds on the Cayos de los Pajaros. (Pis. 3 and 13.) 



Continuing May 16 to Moca and La Vega at the latter place he 

 bargained for pack mules and on the following day was bound for 

 the mountains of the interior. Leaving the palms and banana 

 plantations of the lowlands he traveled for miles through open 

 forests of beautiful pines past Jarabacoa, climbed by narrow trails 

 up the steep slopes of El Barrero, impassable during rains, to come 

 finally to El Rio, and on May 18 to the interior valley of Constanza, 

 where the air was cool and where, in winter, frosts come to kill 

 tender vegetation. (PI. 15.) At Constanza, birds abounded, among 

 them especially a song sparrow of the genus Brachyspiza with its 

 relatives in South and Central America, and found elsewhere only 

 in the interior mountains of this island. Dense deciduous forests 

 covered many slopes, alternating with pines in pleasing contrast. 

 (Pis. 4 and 14.) A rare quail-dove inhabited the jungles, and trogons 

 nested in hollow trees. In climate and topography, the region, 

 except for its vegetation, was reminiscent of the mountains of Ari- 

 zona and New Mexico. 



On May 29 he came again to El Rio, and on May 30 reached La 

 Vega. May 31 he made a brief visit to Santiago, and on June 2 

 moved by motor car from La Vega to Santiago and from there by 

 train to Puerto Plata to leave for New York on June 3. 



Bones of extinct mammals and birds secured by Mr. Miller in 

 Haiti in 1925 proved of such scientific value that further work there 

 became of importance. Through the interest of Dr. W. L. Abbott 

 the necessary funds were provided and on December 15, 1927, Mr. 

 A. J. Poole, aid in the Division of Mammals, United States National 

 Museum, began further work in the caves near St. Michel. Through 

 the courtesy of Mr. G. G. Burlingame, President of the United West 

 Indies Corporation, headquarters were made on the plantation at 

 L'Atalaye. Work continued here with brief interruptions until the 

 middle of March, with extensive collections containing many bird 

 bones as a result. Visits were made at the end of December and 

 during the first week of March to a cave at St. Raphael, at the mid- 

 dle of February to the Citadelle, and during the first week in March 

 to Cap-Ha'itien. Before leaving for New York on March 21 Mr. 

 Poole also visited the cavern at Diquini near Port-au-Prince. 



The following winter Mr. Poole returned to Haiti, accompanied 

 by Mr. W. M. Perrygo of the staff of taxidermists of the United 

 States National Museum to carry on further explorations in various 

 caves and to make zoological collections, particularly of birds and 



