THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 327 



circle in the warm rays of the sun. Others were seen at Las Cahobes 

 April 20, and at Hinche April 20 to 23. A few were seen as far as 

 St. Michel on April 21. An adult male taken April 22 had the iris 

 deep brownish orange, and the bill, tarsi and toes black. On April 

 24 a pair was said to have a nest in the top of a palm where it could 

 not be reached. 



In 1927 Danforth saw them between Port-au-Prince and St. Marc, 

 and on July 15 recorded one on Gonave Island. At Las Cahobes 

 he took two females, one with the iris red and one with it yellow. 

 Bond found them common in the pine forests of northeastern 

 Haiti, and in smaller numbers about Hinche, St. Michel, and Ennery. 

 A few were seen in Port-au-Prince. He records a nest in the crotch 

 of a pine near Bois Laurence May 2, 1928. Poole and Perrygo 

 obtained specimens at Dondon January 18 and Cerca-la-Source 

 March 22, 1929. This crow, a fruit feeder, is considered a game-bird, 

 and before the prohibition against firearms was hunted extensively, 

 which with clearing of large areas of forests has probably brought 

 about a reduction in numbers below its formerly reported abundance. 

 The flesh is considered excellent eating. Natives in both republics 

 interpret its gabbling calls as attempts at speech which are sometimes 

 rendered in phrases not always polite in meaning. The country 

 Haitian is firmly convinced that these crows converse in Spanish. 



Though the white-necked crow of Hispaniola has been recognized 

 by Mr. Ridgway as a race distinct from that of Porto Rico under 

 the sub-specific name of erythrophthalmus Wiirttemberg, it appears 

 that the supposed differences were based on insufficient material in 

 which the specimens did not have the sex properly marked. With 

 the series of skins now available there is no apparent difference 

 between birds of the two islands. Cory also tentatively separated 

 the Hispaniolan bird under the name domi?iicensis. 



Following are pertinent measurements: 



Four males from Hispaniola, wing 298.8-317.0 (308.5), tail 192.0- 

 200.0 (195.1), culmen from base 56.4-59.8 (58.4), tarsus 51.6-53.2 

 (52.5) mm. 



Four females from Hispaniola, wing 285.0-292.0 (289.0), tail 178.0- 

 186.2 (183.3), culmen from base 52.5-55.7 (53.9), tarsus 52.6-53.5 

 (53.1) mm. 



Three males from Porto Rico, wing 300.0-312.0 (304.0), tail 192.5- 

 202.5 (196.8), culmen from base 55.7-57.5 (56.9), tarsus 50.0-53.2 

 (52.1) mm. 



Six females from Porto Rico, wing 288.0-298.0 (292.1), tail 177.0- 

 193.5 (186.5), culmen from base 52.7-56.5 (54.5), tarsus 50.0-54.1 

 (52.1) mm. 



