THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 127 



On April 5, 1927, Wetmore killed four from a flock of a dozen at 

 Fonds-des-Negres, preparing two as skins. This flock was encount- 

 ered in the tops of tall trees where the birds rested quietly or walked 

 along the larger limbs fifty feet from the ground. Their flesh pos- 

 sessed a delicate flavor, that made it better than that of the domesti- 

 cated bird. At dusk on April 7 at La Tremblay in the Cul-de-Sac 

 plain a number flew into the tops of dense growths of mesquite to 

 roost. They were calling loudly here though ordinarily the wild 

 bird is rather silent. Near Hinche from April 22 to 24 guineas were 

 seen occasionally either in the tops of trees or on the ground. On 

 April 24 at dusk several flushed from trees in an isolated grove in a 

 small ravine where they had come to roost at some distance from 

 other cover. At Poste Charbert, near Caracol, several were seen 

 on April 26 and 27. Their habit of perching high in the trees and 

 of flying swiftly away forty or fifty feet above the ground was some- 

 what of a surprise to one accustomed to them only as a barnyard fowl 

 in a state of domestication. Poole and Perry go found them common 

 at St. Michel in December, 1928, and January, 1929, collecting speci- 

 mens December 27 and January 15. They were common at Hinche 

 March 17, 1929, and very plentiful at Cerca-la-Source March 18 to 

 24, five being taken. 



The thorny scrubs of the semi-arid regions seem best fitted for 

 the needs of guinea fowl and in such areas it abounds in many locali- 

 ties. Kent informs us that the birds are prolific and that he has 

 frequently seen fifteen in a brood. They come out to feed in culti- 

 vated lands but seem more at home in the scrubs where though many 

 may be heard particularly in evening they are hard to find. Bond 

 found them ranging to 750 meters above the sea on La Selle, but says 

 that they are more common at lower elevations. He did not find 

 them in a wild state on either Tortue or Gonave Islands. Lieutenant 

 Wirkus of the Gendarmerie is said to have released a pair on Gonave 

 but the birds soon disappeared. It is current belief that the wild 

 guinea has the tarsi black while those of the domesticated bird are 

 reddish. Of the sixteen skins from Hispaniola examined, eleven 

 have the tarsi dull black while five have more or less of a reddish 

 cast. It is doubtful that the supposed color criterion will hold as 

 there is in all probability a constant mixing between feral and 

 domestic birds. 



The following measurements of wild-killed birds from Hispaniola 

 .are offered: 



Two males, wing 252.0-255.0 (253.5), tail 135.0-142.0 (138.5), cul- 

 men from cere 21.0-21.1 (21.0), tarsus 62.5-69.0 (65.8) mm. 



Three females, wing 230-245.0 (235.0), tail 120.0-137.5 (127.8), 

 culmen from cere 21.0-22.0 (21.4), tarsus 66.2-67.5 (66.7) mm. 



