244 



PASSERES. FRINGILLAD^. 



Hill, until I happened to shoot one when in com- 

 pany with him at St. Thomas in the Vale. I sus- 

 pect it makes its nest in the midst of a grass tuft, 

 or on the ground among them ; where it would be 

 very unlikely to be met with, as these tufts are never 

 cut, nor are they eaten down by stock to within 

 eighteen inches of the ground. 



One day in April, when the sun was pouring 

 down his unmitigated rays, I observed a Tichicro 

 walking towards a little rain-puddle in the middle 

 of the road. Seeing me, however, it retired to the 

 wayside, and did not fly away, though within a few 

 feet of my horse, but stood looking wistfully at the 

 puddle. I thought it had been going to drink, but 

 as it began to ruffle its plumage and shake its wings, 

 1 saw that it had been bathing. I then rode on a 

 lew steps, leaving the pool clear, when it immediate- 

 ly ran to the edge, and walked into the shallow 

 water, bending its legs and sitting down in it ; then 

 it immersed its head, and shook the water over its 

 body, with the pretty action common to birds 

 bathing. It seemed greatly to enjoy the relief from 

 the heat, and only reluctantly left the water on the 

 approach of another passenger. 



The Tichicro is certainly a perennial inhabitant 

 of the island, and seems confined to the lowland 

 districts, or to hills of moderate elevation. 



