THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 265 



attention was attracted by a swarm of these little birds darting in 

 and out of a long shed-like structure. There was opportunity to 

 investigate the following morning when it was found that the build- 

 ing was a tannery and that the birds were attracted by an abundance 

 of flies that filled the place. On this second occasion a dozen swifts 

 were constantly about, circling past the doorways and flying through 

 the several low sheds that housed the plant. One was observed at 

 San Francisco de Macoris May 4, and at La Vega they were common 

 on May 17 and 30, when they were observed alighting among the 

 dead, hanging fronds of the royal palms. They were common in 

 Santiago May 31. Ciferri collected skins at Moca August 23, 1928 

 and Sabana San Thome, San Juan, December 28, 1928. 



In Haiti the palm swift is locally common. Cory found it abun- 

 dant near Gantier where he took one March 6, 1881 ; he secured one 

 at Jacmel January 12 of the same year. Bartsch in 1917 found the 

 palm swift at Thomazeau April 2, near Glore April 3, at Trou 

 Caiman, April 4, Petit Goave April 8 and 9, Miragoane, April 9, near 

 Jeremie April 10 to 12 and 15 and 16, at Trou des Roseaux April 13 

 and 14, and in the vicinity of Port-au-Prince April 19 to 27. 



Abbott found the bird common about Jeremie and collected two 

 females December 17 and 20, 1917. At Fond Parisien he secured 

 three males May 8, 1920, and in northwestern Haiti shot males at 

 Port-de-Paix February 24, and at Moustique, March 11, 1917. Near 

 Bombardopolis he secured a female March 25, 1917 at an elevation 

 of 450 meters above the sea, the highest altitude at which the species 

 has been reported at present. Wetmore in 1927 observed palm 

 swifts in Port-au-Prince from March 27 to 29, and on April 19, 25 

 and 28, usually among the palm grown gardens of the suburbs, but 

 occasionally darting over the buildings in the business part of town. 

 At the Etang Miragoane, on April 1 several coursed swiftly over 

 marshy meadows often flying very low. A male taken here was past 

 breeding and had the mouth and throat crammed with insects so 

 that it may have been feeding young. Occasional birds were seen 

 at Fonds-des-Negres April 2, 4 and 5, and at Aquin April 3. James 

 Bond reports this species from Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Fond Pari- 

 sien, Ennery, and St. Michel. 



Careful comparison of our series of ten with several from Jamaica 

 fails to show any definite differences between skins from the two 

 islands. Jamaican specimens seem very slightly browner on the 

 head but it is believed that this is due to adventitious stain from the 

 greater age of these specimens. 



Following are measurements of a small series from Hispaniola : 



Males, five specimens, wing 99.3-100.1 (103.3), tail 39.3-^0.8 (40.2), 

 culmen from base 4.2-4.8 (4.5), tarsus 6.2-7.8 (7.1) mm. 



