308 BULLETIN" 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



of points in Haiti. At L'Archaie March 30 several were observed 

 in an arid cactus and mesquite scrub. The birds rested on open 

 perches near the ground, in alert attitude enhanced by raised crests, 

 and darted out to capture passing insects with a loud snap of the 

 bill. Their call was a high pitched, somewhat sibilant note that 

 may be written tuhee-ee, varied occasionally to whit-a whit-a. Two 

 taken at Aquin April 3 in dry scrub back of the beach were near the 

 breeding season. The species was recorded at La Tremblay April 

 7, Morne a Cabrits April 20, Hinche April 22 to 24, and Caracol 

 April 26 and 27. 



Danforth in 1927 found this flycatcher near the mouth of the 

 Artibonite River, at Etang Miragoane, and on Gonave Island. 

 Bond reports this flycatcher as abundant in the arid lowlands of 

 Haiti, including Gonave and Tortue Islands. He found a nest near 

 Port-de-Paix, April 1, 1928, placed in a natural cavity a little more 

 than a meter from the ground, that contained two nearly fledged 

 young. Poole and Perrygo secured specimens at St. Michel January 

 6, L'Atalaye January 8, St. Raphael January 12, Pont Sonde Feb- 

 ruary 27, and Fort Liberte February 6 and 11, 1929. Danforth 

 reports that one bird taken had eaten ten weevils (Lach?iopus) and 

 a butterfly; another a seed, three caterpillars, and a small chryso- 

 melid beetle; a third seeds of Solanaceae; a fourth a fly (Erax 

 rufotibia) and some coieoptera; and a fifth a Buprestid, a weevil 

 (Lachnopm), a grasshopper (Schistocercus), and a fly (Erax 

 rufotibia) . 



Four specimens from Gonave Island average very slightly paler on 

 the dorsal surface than most birds from the main island but are 

 matched in this respect by one skin from Tortue and by a few from 

 the main island, so that we consider this difference as of individual 

 nature. Birds in fresh plumage are blacker and those in worn dress 

 grayer above. Measurements are almost identical as the following 

 indicate. 



Haiti and the Dominican Republic : 



Males, seventeen specimens, wing 80.1-88.1 (84.0), tail 73.7-82.9 

 (78.0), culmen from base 18.2-21.8 (20.1), tarsus 19.3-23.1 (21.2) mm. 



Females, six specimens, wing 78.0-84.9 (81.5), tail, 72.9-79.2 (76.1) , 

 culmen from base 18.0-21.3 (19.5), tarsus 20.0-21.3 (20.8) mm. 



Gonave Island: 



Male, one specimen, wing 83.8, tail 74.4, culmen from base 21.5, 

 tarsus 20.2 mm. 



Females, three specimens, wing 79.5-82.3 (80.6), tail 72.8-77.7 

 (75.5), culmen from base 19.0-19.4 (19.1), tarsus 20.3-21.3 (20.7) mm. 



Hellmayr writes that the type of Myiarchus ruficaudatus Cory, a 

 male, F. M. No. 31149, was taken at Puerto Plata, D. R., December 

 11, 1882. 



