THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 355 



section in spring migration. The Jamaican vireo finds dense semi- 

 arid scrubs much to its liking but at the same time ranges commonly 

 through such humid forests as clothe the hills of the Samana 

 Peninsula where rain is of almost daily occurrence and the vegeta- 

 tion below the exposed tree tops never dries. 



In Porto Rico the Jamaican vireo is migrant arriving in February 

 and leaving in September. In the extensive series secured by Ab- 

 bott in Hispaniola the earliest spring record is that of one from 

 Tortue Island February 2, and the latest in fall one taken at Rojo 

 Cabo on the Samana Peninsula August 30. Hartert informs us 

 that there is a specimen in the Tring Museum taken by Kaempfer 

 in the Yuna swamps October 12, 1922. The species seems however 

 to remain here through the year as in an extensive series secured by 

 A. H. Verrill, now in the collection of J. H. Fleming, there are three 

 skins marked as taken at Sanchez December 22, 25 and 26, 1906, 

 two at Cafia Honda January 7 and 12, 1907, two at El Valle January 

 14 and 17, and a series at Sanchez from January 21 to 30. Bond re- 

 ports seeing two at Port-au-Prince December 26, 1927. Beck se- 

 cured specimens at Santo Domingo City October 3 to 24 and at 

 Sanchez November 3 to 18 and December 12, 1917. This matter of 

 winter occurrence is curious since it is certain that this vireo is 

 found in the Santa Marta region in Colombia at that season, and 

 that it leaves Porto Rico in winter. We are inclined to believe that 

 it is partially migrant in Hispaniola also, a supposition confirmed 

 by a report of M. J. Nicoll who on February 27, 1904 secured one 

 that flew about his vessel while passing to the south of the island 

 en route from Porto Rico to Jamaica, a bird that would seem to 

 be a migrant from the south. The matter of the occurrence of this 

 bird is one that should be given attention by naturalists who are on 

 the island during winter. 



R. H. Beck secured four on Navassa Island, July 14 and 17, 1917, 

 that are in worn breeding dress. They appear browner, less green- 

 ish than ordinary but are not in condition for proper comparison. 

 Ekman recorded this species from Navassa in October, 1928. 



The ordinary song of this vireo may be written as cher chereo, 

 a couplet that after a short pause is again repeated. Occasionally 

 this is varied somewhat but the bird has no extended repertoire. On 

 the hills back of Sanchez Wetmore found them abundantly dis- 

 tributed through the forest each male having its territory where it 

 moved about slowly or remained quietly perched uttering its song. 

 In the swamps of the Yuna and Barrancota they were also common. 

 Abbott secured a series on Gonave Island and another on Tortue, 

 so that apparently the birds are found there in numbers. Danforth 

 records them from Gonave reporting that the song there is different 

 from that heard on Hispaniola proper. 



