THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 269 



a nest from La Vega at the beginning of March which contained 

 two fully grown young. Dr. A. Busck secured a vervain hummer 

 in the San Francisco Mountains in the southern part of the Do- 

 minican Republic August 28, 1905, the specimen being in the United 

 States National Museum. Verrill found it common at all points 

 visited and collected a number of specimens. Six of these in the 

 collection of J. H. Fleming were secured at Samana February 9, 

 12 and 18, 1907. Peters shot three at Monte Cristi, and Abbott 

 skinned one at Sanchez October 21, 1916. Keempfer reports a nest 

 made of the down of the kapok tree, placed one and one half meters 

 from the ground, and saj's that in August he found these hummers 

 in thousands near Constanza. The latter observation may indicate 

 a vertical migration from the lowlands into the mountain valleys as 

 is regular in many continental hummers. TVetmore observed them in 

 1927 at Sanchez May 7 and 9, at El Rio May 18 and 30, and com- 

 monly near Constanza May 20 to 27. One was taken May 21. 

 Danforth found them in 1927 at Santo Domingo City (specimen), 

 Bonao, and La Vega. Moltoni received skins from Ciferri taken 

 at Haina in September, 1925. 



In Haiti the vervain hummer is common and from its tiny size has 

 attracted attention from many travelers. Ritter in 1836 speaks of 

 finding its nest in guava bushes. A. E. Younglove forwarded two 

 specimens taken June 1, 1866, to the Smithsonian Institution. These 

 were preserved as mummies, one being still in the United States 

 National Museum. Cory in 1881 spoke of it as abundant, and lists a 

 female taken at Petionviile February 7, 1881. There is another that 

 he secured from the same point on March 7 in the United States 

 National Museum. Tippenhauer gives this form the local name of 

 ouanga negresse. Bartsch in 1917 found it near Glore April 3 

 (specimen), Trou Caiman April 4, near Jeremie April 10 to 12, 15 

 and 16 (specimens April 10 and 11), Trou des Roseaux April 14, and 

 in the vicinitjr of Port-au-Prince April 19 to 27. Abbott reports it 

 as generally common, and occurring en Tortue Island where he col- 

 lected one February 1, 1917. He records it also from Gonave and 

 saj^s that it was common in the hills above three hundred meters 

 elevation. Wetmore in 1927 collected one at the flowers of a mimosa 

 near L'Acul April 4, and observed two in flowering logwoods near 

 Fonds-des-Negres April 5. He observed one near La Cahobes April 

 20, and at Hinche April 22 shot two at the blossoms of a flowering 

 tree but because of their tiny size was unable to find either one. At 

 Caracol on the north plain they were common April 26 and 27, and 

 two were taken on the former date. They were seen ordinarily feed- 

 ing at flowers. Beebe recorded them at Port-au-Prince. 

 2134—31 18 



