THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 439 



320, 321 (listed). — Cory, Auk, 1895, p. 279 (Dominican Republic, specimens). — 

 Chekrie, Field Columbian Mus., Ornitli. sei\, vol. 1, 1896, p. 16 (Aguacate, 

 Catarrey, specimens). — Christy, Ibis, 1S97, pp. 324-325 (La Vega). — Verrill, 

 Proc. Aead. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 61, 1909, p. 362 (La Vega).— Richmond, 

 Smithsonian Misc. Colls., vol. 66, no. 17, 1917, p. 39 (mentioned). — Bond, Proc. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 80, 1928, pp. 518-519 (La Selle, Morne Tran- 

 chant, specimens). — Lonnberg, Fauna och Flora, 1929, p. 109 (Haiti). — Mol- 

 toni, Att. Soc. Ital. Scienz. Nat., vol. 68, 1929, p. 326 (Loma del Medio, speci- 

 men). 



Resident in the interior hills ; locally common. 



In traveling through the higher mountains of Haiti and the 

 Dominican Republic siskins are flushed occasionally from near the 

 ground in patches of weeds or about old gardens. As they fly the 

 eye is instinctively drawn to them by the brilliant, contrasting 

 plumage of the males with its flashes of yellow and black, though 

 the duller colored females are inconspicuous. When once known the 

 birds are at times observed in the tops of pines or flying in little 

 flocks overhead. They are most abundant about the higher ridges 

 above 1,500 meters elevation, but seem to be irregular in distribution 

 as they have not been reported from areas in the northwest of Haiti, 

 where they might be expected. From his personal observations 

 Wetmore believed that the present species nests in the region of 

 pines and following the breeding season wanders more or less to 

 other localities. 



The first specimens recorded from the Dominican Republic seem 

 to be those taken by Cherrie at Aguacate and Catarrey in 1895. He 

 secured adults and immature birds of both sexes. Christy found the 

 siskin near La Vega in the same year, and in 1907 Verrill reported 

 it as abundant in certain localities in that vicinity. He observed it 

 in flocks in the open pasturelands. W. L, Abbott collected skins 

 at El Rio October 7, 1916, and May 13 and 14, 1919. Above Con- 

 stanza at the clearing known as Bohokali on the great ridge of 

 the Loma Rio Grande he found it in abundant flocks from April 

 15 to 23, and collected an excellent series of specimens. Young males 

 taken were in molt from immature to adult plumage. He noted 

 that the birds were not breeding. In 1927 Wetmore found the siskin 

 common near Constanza from May 20 to 26, mainly among the 

 higher branches of the pines where because of their tiny size they 

 were detected with difficulty except when they were moving about. 

 The males sang low, chattering, trilling songs, composed of confused 

 notes that at times were suggestive of the notes of the American gold- 

 finch and again of the warblings of a ruby-crowned kinglet. The 

 breeding season at this time was near. He observed a few near 

 El Rio May 30. Ekman presented a skin to Ciferri taken on Loma 

 del Medio September 26, 1929. 



