338 BULLETIN" 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



seeds, a snail, a lamellicorn beetle (Lachnosterna hogradi) and a 

 millipede. 



The thrush is from 250 to 270 mm. in length with rather heavy 

 body. In general coloration it is gray, darker above with wings and 

 tail black and abdomen and under tail coverts white. The throat 

 is white broadly streaked with blackish slate and the tail has the 

 external feathers broadly tipped with white. 



HAPLOCICHLA SWALESI Wctmore 

 SWALES' THRUSH, MERLE, OTTETE-OUETE NOIR 



Saplocichla sicalesi Wetmore, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 40, June 30, 

 1927, p. 55 (Jardins Bois Pin, Massif de la Selle, Haiti, 1800 meters altitude).— 

 Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 80, 1929, p. 509 (La Selle).— 

 Bbebe, Beneath Tropic Seas, 192S, p. 11 (mentioned). 



Haplocichla stvalesii, Lonnberg, Fauna och Flora, 1929, p. 107 (Haiti). 



Resident in Haiti on the high ridge of La Selle; not recorded 

 elsewhere. The species ranges from 1500 to 2100 meters coming 

 occasionally a little lower. 



On April 11, 1927, as Wetmore came into the dense growth of 

 rain forest jungle below the summit of Morne La Visite he heard a 

 strange thrush note and a moment later had a glimpse of the songster 

 within a distance of a few feet, recognizing it instantly as a species 

 new to the known fauna of the island. Hours were spent in creep- 

 ing cautiously through wet thickets, bound into almost impenetrable 

 entanglements by long strands of creeping bamboo, but not until two 

 days later did the first specimen of this beautiful bird come to hand. 

 (PL 22.) The colors were such that at a distance the species was 

 invisible to the eye in the dense shadows and when clearly seen 

 individuals were usually so close at hand as to make it impracticable 

 to collect them with ordinary loads, while their appearance was so 

 brief as to make it impracticable to change to lighter shells before 

 the birds had disappeared. Finally in a heavy rain several came 

 out into an open trail apparently in enjoyment of the downpour and 

 specimens were secured with comparative ease. On subsequent days 

 numbers were observed and in all four were collected. In the 

 Jardins Bois Pin this thrush was somewhat more familiar as here it 

 lived near the huts of the country people and inhabited smaller 

 sections of thicket adjacent to little clearings. 



Swales' thrush spends much time on the ground where it has the 

 habits usual to the robin-like thrushes, running with lowered head 

 across little open spaces and then pausing abruptly with head thrown 

 erect. In the dark shadows of its haunts its colors merge so per- 

 fectly with its background that it is extremely difficult to see at any 

 distance except when in motion. At times it ran up on recumbent 



